
Class 15-L3 

Book ^aJj~~^ 

Copyright^ r. 7 - 1. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY -KARL HANNO. 



THIRD 
REVISED EDITION 



A PLAY IN IV ACTS. 



WRITTEN BY 



A. PAUL GABBERT. 



Man is the maker of his oirii destiny 
A)xl Providence provides for his lot. 

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 
1904. 
QUINCY. ILLINOIS. 



^ 









|UB??,»RVn' CONGRESS 
Two oumes ftecsiveo 

SEP 6 1904 
\ Q Oonffrfcht Entry 

I CLASS X>>XXo. No. 

I <rs- on . 

COPY B 



Prefatory Note. 



It is three years ago when I, as author, published "The Drama 
of Destiny — Karl Hanno" and that edition was not intended to go on 
the stage. But no sooner had the story become known than a com- 
mon desire was expressed to see it played. And I owe it to this fact 
that I set to work and put the original drama into a play form. The 
Drama of Destiny is an ever deep subject and to handle it right re- 
quires no common authorship. To me the subject seems inexhaust- 
able and when I read over my pages I cannot but say I have merely 
written an outline of the many, many thoughts that have impressed 
themselves upon me as I studied the destiny of man. And according 
to this, perfection is not claimed. But as far as my knowledge goes, I 
do claim with all modesty that I, as author, stand all by myself and I 
have borrowed nothing whatever from any author as I was ever 
wholly left free from outside influence in writing The Drama of Des- 
tiny — Karl Hanno. With regard to the material used in this drama 
I may eventually state that I found it convenient to choose my mater- 
ial out of the Spanish discovery and the story is by no means a fiction, 
but that the leading features, in the main, are co-incidents of the 
Spanish history in the 17th century and is colored to some extent as 
is the case in all plays and dramas for the sole reason to bring a cer- 
tain idea into the panorama of imagination. 

In addition to this I may also mention that this is the third re- 
vised edition 

To all friends of this production I remain ever, 

Respectfully, 

A. PAUL GABBERT, 

Author. 
Quincy, Illinois, August, 1904. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY-KARL HANNO. 



A PLAY OF FOUR ACTS. 



ACT I. 

[Scene: There is a cave 8 ft. wide in a cliff of a rock 
ivhose summit cannot be seen. JRight in the mouth 
of the core is a rockplate 18 incites thick lying flatly 
on the ground and has a diameter as large as the 
width of the cave. To the left the. tall rock walls 
permit a view across a river over a mile /ride whose 
course is from right to left, with a great waterfall 
at the point a little to the left looking past the tall 
rock walls. The landscape across the river is moun- 
tainous and the slopes are covered with forests, while 
on this side of the 'river swampy marshes approach 
its channel all the way down. Season: In hot summer. 
r To the left is enter, or exit, No. 1; and to the right 
is enter, err exit, No. 2. 

Karl Hanno is good looking and a nam of high intellect. 

He wears a mustache and a dip on his underlip and 

resembles a Spaniard. He has a full face and is 

* To the right or to the left is meant when looking toward the stage 
from the auditorium 



6 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

affectionate to a certain degree. His wanly conduct 
and good demeanor is that of a courteous gentleman. 
Age 36; weight 175; height, 5 ft. 10 in. 

His attire is an old hat, an old ragged shirt, 
patched-up trousers, and has his feet tied up with 
rags but are for the most part exposed to bareness.] 

| Titus is good loohing and matches Karl Hanno in intel- 
lect. He has a full face and a mustache same as 
Karl Hanno, but he is the more fluent speaker. His 
artless kindness and self-sacrificing mot ires for oth- 
ers appeals to friendship and lore in the style of a 
true gentleman. Age 38; weight 180; height 5 ft. 
9 in. 

He attires in comparatively good clothes, wears a 
square cut coat and he looks like a brisky adven- 
turer.] 

(The curtain raises. Karl Hanno is sitting on a rock 
to the left at the mouth of the cave.) 



Karl Hanno — 

(Soliloquizing) 
Life is short, but long are the days when life is 
in vain. With the future before me I behold a 
gloomy picture with no sign, whatever, for a bright- 
er day. Yet I am still young and who knows but 
perhaps I might see something better in the days 
yet to come than what I have seen in the past. 
(He looks at his feet and jumps up.) Heavens! What 
is wrong with me? No shoes on my feet, no coat 
to wear and to make it complete, not a cent to my 
name. And yet this world owes me all of this. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 7 

Therefore do I now refuse to serve her any 
longer. 

(He sits doiun again.) 
What next"? Ha! I shall do like the rest; eat, 
drink and be merry; to-morrow I am dead. What 
is the use? — 

(A strong voice is heard.) 
"Behold! man is the maker of his own destiny, 
and Providence provides for his lot." 
(He ju mps to h is feet. ) 
What! Man is the maker of his own destiny, 
and Providence provides for his lot? 

Ah! I know now. That was the voice of Her- 
cules from the top of the cliff and I am inspired 
with hope. Once more I shall face the Powers 
of Fate; once more I look to the Heavenly Powers 
to bargain with Destiny; once more I am getting 
plucky. 

Plucky! Plucky! Plucky! Yes, Plucky. 
[Enter No. 2, Titus. He carries a square cut coat <ni<l a 

new pair of shoes.) 
Tit a s — Well! well! Karl, I have found you at last. 
Karl — Well, well!, good old friend, I thought you were 

lost and eaten up by Cannibals. 
T— They didn't want me. 

K — Ah! they didn't want you? Well, Titus, I am so 
glad to have you with me. How are you? 
(They shake hands.) 
T — Very well. Thank you, Karl. God bless your soul. 



8 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

K — My pocketbook needs it worse. 

T — I see a poverty-stricken man. 

A' — Yes, yes, poverty-stricken. And poverty is all 
that I can call my own. 

T — And yet, how great are the chances of life! 

K — Great? Would to God it were true. Look at me! 
I have no shoes on my feet, no coat to wear, and 
not a cent to my name. And I am not to blame. 

T — There is something wrong in Israel. Explain that. 

K — 0, it's always hard luck. That's all. 

T — Crackerty, wreckerty, I have just invented a 
scheme that will knock any hard luck. 

K — Let's have it. Quick! Quick! Quick! 

T — Here it is: Hard luck always strikes its victim 
single handed — 

K — Like me. 

T — Like you. 

K — Yes, I was born in the wrong sign — 

T — No, no, no. Now listen. You are struck with 
hard luck. 

A— Yes. 

T — And I am struck with prosperity— 

K — You are? 

T — Yes, a little bit. — Now, when two such men com- 
bine and form a trust they get the dead grip on 
things. 

K — That's business. But go on and finish. 

T — I have already finished. 

K — Heavens, are you fooling me? 

T — Excuse me: The one that has more than his 
partner is to divide up with him until he sees 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 9 

better times. And that's the scheme. 

K — Good! It makes my ears ring. 

T — 0, I'll fix you up all right — And here now is a new 
pair of shoes to put on your feet; here is a coat 
for you to wear, and here are §50 to put away in 
your pocket. This is half of my possession. 
Take it, as I give it to you freely, for God loveth 
a cheerful giver. 
That's my religion. 

K — God bless your religion. 

(Karl is dazed over his kind art. 'The orchestra plays 
while lie puts on the shoes, the <-<><tt and pockets the 
money. ) 

K — Titus, I am nearly struck dumb and I can only 
say you have furnished an example that will pre- 
vail forever like a shining star. But, to make it 
short, Titus, I have nothing to give you in return. 

7 --Nothing in return? Nothing is expected, nothing 
is asked, only one thing: Permit me to lead you 
oji to victory. 

K— Why certainly. Why with all my soul. Titus, 
why not; can you? 

T — Just let us sit down and have a little talk. 
{They sit down.) 

T — Ha! Ha! Such is life here in South America, 
And what all is not done in the way of chasing 
after a fortune. Ha! Ha! Gold here is more 
abundant than iron is in Spain. I presume you 
have knowledge of the fact that within 25 miles 
down the other side of this river there is an old 
city, formerly inhabited by a half -civilized Indian 
tribe, but it was recently destroyed by an earth- 



io THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

quake. Gold is piled up in there by the cargoes 
and nobody that claims it except who goes there 
and helps himself. 

K— Grand, isn't it? Why, yes, I have knowledge of 
the fact. That's Crystal city. 

T — Correct. 

A— Question is how to get across this river. 

T—O, that's nothing. 

A'— Nothing? Let us see: Right down there you 
would be buried in the mud alive 

7*— That's right. 

A— And right here we cannot cross on account of the 
falls and the rapids — 

T— That's right. 

A'— And to go up above we would have to scale moun- 
tains nearly straight up to the moon. 

T — That's right. 

A'-— Well, that knocks us out. 

'/'—Out? Now suppose I know of a way to cross this 
river without chancing anything, would you fol- 
low me? 

A— To the ends of the earth, if necessary. 

7^_Stay with me and I shall lead you on to victory. 
Karl, I have a profound secret to impart to you, 
and upon this secret is depending all of our 
earthly hope,and all I ask of you is that we pledge 
to eachother eternal friendship and brotherly 
support in our endeavor for the highest attain- 
ments of life. Are you ready to do so? 

(Both rise and raise their hands while (firing the pledge.) 

K — Here I am! 

"I hereby solemnly promise you, Titus, etern- 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. n 

al friendship and brotherly support in our en- 
deavor for the highest attainments of life." 

T — "I hereby solemnly promise you, Karl Hanno, 
eternal friendship and brotherly support in our 
endeavor for the highest attainments of life." 
{They sit down again. ) 

K — Now let us have that secret. 

T — Ah right, Sir! And right down in cash: 1 have 
already crossed this river once. 

K— What? 

T — Yes. And I owe it all to the tigers and leopards. 

A' — It must be wonderful. 

T — Why yes, it was wonderful. — Ah, that lonely night 
I shall never forget — When the electric battery 
of the heavens was charging th -i earth with fire 
and brimstone, a severe hailstorm began raging 
horribly over the landscape. There was no es- 
cape except this cave. I went in, and shortly 
afterward it was rushed by the tigers and leop- 
ards and they set in after me on a violent chase — 

A' — Good Moses! And then what? 

T — Well, they chased me clear through this cave to 
the other side of this river. 

K — (Gets up.) Titus, I believe every word of that. 
But let me ask you one question: This is no fish- 
story, is it? 

T [Gets a p.) No! And that's a go. 

K — Now I can see great things. And my once sink- 
ing hope is now rising like the bright morning 
star — 

T — All right. All right. All that we need is a plan, 
and pop! goes the weasel. Sit down, old boy! 

LofC. 



12 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

{They sit down.) 

K — Now let me see what you've got. 

T — Here, here, I've got it already mapped out {shows 
on a map.) — We will go through this cave — 

A— Yes. 

T— And that will take us to the other side of this riv- 
er— 

A"— Yes. 

T — Next there is a tributary 500 feet wide; this we 
will swim across — 

K — Yes, and take a good bath once. 

T— That's no joke — And 22 miles further down we 
can take seats on the golden curbstones of Crys- 
tal city. — Of course those seats will be a little 
hard, but we'll put up with that— Now doesn't 
that look straight to you? 

K— Why,. yes. Why, that's easy. 

T— It wouldn't be but for this cave. 

K — I see. — And the gold? 

T— And the gold? That we shall moor across on the 
bottom of the river. 

K — But why go to such trouble? Why not do a little 
logrolling, make a raft and shift across gold and 
all? 

T — O, all the timber here sinks to the bottom like 
iron. — -Remember, we are not in Spain — 

A — O, you're all right. Go ahead! 

T — Now, then: We wiU take a rope 1000 feet long, 
tie both ends together and stretch it double 
across the river — 

A— Yes. 

T — One on each end of the rope so as to have the 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY -KARL HANNO 13 

river between us — 
A" Exactly. 
T — Then tie a lump of gold to it and keep spinning it 

across the river until all is moored across. The 

scheme is genuine! 
A'— The scheme is genuine. Surely, you need a part- 
ner. 
'/'— 0, I can hire plenty of partners. 
A'— I know, I know. Titus, if ever in this world the 

good fortune has anythnig for me — 
T — You will divide up with me, of course. 
K — More than that: I shall remember you until af- 
ter death. 
T Ha! ha! I deal with the living only and my mind 

is set to make a certain mark in this world. 
K— 0, that's nothing: Now, since you have under 

taken to lead me on to victory, my mind is set to 

be second to none. 
7' Gracious of lite! 

K- Excuse me, "We," I should have said. 
7' Certainly. And now we have talked long enough. 

Let us get ready and go. 

( They get u [>) 
A'— O, I am painfully waiting for you to take the lead. 

And you say through this cave? 
T — Right through this cave. Yes, Sir! 
A' — And that's going right under the river? 
7' — Under the river and the river above us. 
K — Going, going, and keep agoing until we come out 

on the other side of the river? 
T — Yes. But sometimes we may have to do a little 

crawling and climbing in chasms. 



i 4 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

(Karl glances at the race.) 

K — Let me tell you something before we start. 

T— Let's have it. Quick! 

K — This is a ground hog case and our lives are worth 
something: What will we do when we come in 
collision with the Powers of Fate, such as the 
tigers and leopards, the chasm, and swimming 
the smaller river? I tell you I feel a little shaky 
about these things. 

T — Shaky? Understand we are playing a game of 
which I deal the cards myself and I've got them 
right here — 

(Titu goes to exit No. 2 and brings two spears, tiro 
torches and a long thin rope.) 

Here now is a spear for each of us with which to 
slay the tigers and leopards; here is your torch, 
and here is mine, and here is a long rope to use 
for all purposes;as to the smaller river, we are able 
swimmers and the laws of nature will not permit 
our sinking. Now, will that do you? 

K — No! What about the things that we cannot foresee? 

T — Charge them through the Power of Faith. 

K — I don't know how to do that. 

T — The religious man says, "Trust in God." Both 
mean the same thing, only one makes the shorter 
cut. — O, I'll fix you up all right. 

K — Titus, my faith is not in good working condition. 

T — But mine is: I can remove mountains by faith; I 
sway unknown forces at will, and things that I 
cannot foresee I charge them through thePower 
of Faith. In short: I am the maker of my own 
destiny and I defy the Powers of Fate to prevent it, 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 15 

K — Almighty Titus, how did you come to all this? 

T — O, I was born in the right sign. 

K — Almighty Titus, what service can I be to you? I 

can never return what I owe you. 
T — What sign were you born in? 
K — My sign is in the lion. 
T — Why. yon rule a better sign than I do. You're 

all right./ „ All that you require is a little practice 

and you wiU be the maker of your own destiny. 
A'- Grand! 
V Hurrah? 

A' — Hurrah lor the cave! 
T— Hurrah for Crystal CityV 
Together Hurrah! 
T — Now, Karl, how is the unknown? 
A' Things that we cannot force we charge them 

through the Power of Faith. 
T — Throug the Power of Faith, or as I say, we are 

playing a game of which we deal the cards our- 
selves. 
Together — Grand! Hurrah! Glory! To-day we are 

beggars, to-morrow we shall be princes. 

{They light up their torches and start with their 

equipments. ) 
Together — Hip! Hip! Hip! We are going to Dixyland. 

Halum, Halum, O, my little Tootie! 

{The orchestra plays as they enter the rare and dis- 
appear. ) 

* 

[Enter: Destiny is robed in white ami wears a bine star. 

Power of Rescue is robed in blue, Prince of Poverty 

is robed in gray , Prince of Fools is robed in green. 



16 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

These are the Heavenly Powers, except Destiny. All 
resemble spirits. Poiver of Evil is m his mantle and 
wears a tight cap and red over all. He resembles 
Mephistophelis '.Poiver of Accidents is robed same as 
P. of Evil, but he attires in white trimming. These 
last two are the Powers of Fate. This assemblage 
is controlled by Destiny, who is seated on the same 
rock where Karl 11. was sitting before. He rises 
when he speaks while all the others keep on their 
feet before him. The light is turned down as th ■;/ 
enter.] 

Destiny — The council of the Heavenly Powers and the 
judgment of the Powers of Fate, on behalf of two 
men, is called to proceedings! 

Evil — Holy Destiny: I, the Power of Evil, hereby 
bring to notice that two men, Titus and Karl H, 
are within this cave, and they are tresspass* >rs 
on my ground. Moreover, they are defying me 
in assuming the mastership over the Powers of 
Pate and I am resolved to set the tigers and 
leopards on them to devour them. 

Destiny — Do so if thou canst. 

{P. of Evil causes a thunder. 3 tigers and ..> leop- 
ards rush in. He t<tkes them and disappears with 
them in the care. ) 

Destiny — Next! 

Poverty — Holy Destiny: I, the Prince of Poverty, 
hereby bring to notice that it is the purpose of 
Titus and Karl H. to snatch a fortune from Crys- 
tal City. I vote for their failure on the ground 
that there shall always be poor in this world. 

Destiny — In view of the fact that the purpose of God 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY KARL HANNO. 17 

is above the purpose of men their failure, or their 
success, is depending upon their merit to suit 
the purpose of God.. What this purpose is be- 
longs to another chapter. Next! 

( Killer r. of Evil out of the cave. ) 

Evil -Holy Destiny: I, the Power of Evil, have tried 
my best to get the tigers and leopards to devour 
Titus and Karl H. But these men were well 
armed and they slew these beasts of prey. And 
I could not prevail against them to save my 
wretched soul. 

Destiny — Understand these men are playing a game 
of which they deal the cards themselves. Next! 

Accidents — Holy Destiny: I, the Powor of Accidents, 
hereby bring to notice that at this moment T. 
and K. H. have recklessly thrown themselves in- 
to the river to swim across and they have thereby 
overstepped the bounds of safety. Moreover, 
they are openly defying me that thereby they 
will take a good bath once. I will give them a 
good bath once. Just let me go and I will acci- 
dentally drown them in the river. 

Pest in// Do so if thou canst! 

(Exit: the 111 re. ) 
{Enter: No. 2, Wisdom is robed in white. II. Power.) 

Destiny — Next! 

Wisdom — Holy Destiny: I, the Prince of Wisdom, 
hereby bring to notice that peril and fate is a- 
waiting Titus and Karl H. under conditions gov- 
erned by the laws of nature. (P. of Evil grows 
gay.) Any explanation desired on this subject will, 
be complied with by the functions of my wisdom. 



18 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY—KARL HANNO. 

(All cheer Wisdom, whereas P. of Evil stuffs his ears, 
staggers and stumbles over on the ground) 
(Enter: Accidents out of the care.) 

Accidents — Holy Destiny: (P. of Evil vera attentive.) 
I, the P. of Accidents, have tried my best to give 
T. and K. H. a good bath once and drown them 
in the river, wherefore I sent them topsy-turvy 
into a whirlpool. But by some slight act 
they came out all right defyingly laughing to my 
face. And I could not prevail against them to 
complete my devilish act. 

Destiny— Understand, these men are able swimmers 
and the laws of nature will not permit their sink- 
ing. Next! 

Prince of Fools — Holy Destiny: I am the Prince of 
Fools and I desire to know the nature of the al- 
leged peril and fate awaiting Titus and Karl H. 

Desthvy — Let Wisdom explain. 

Wisdom — Prince of Pools, come here! 

( He takes him upon the rockplate.) 

Wisdom — Now we are standing right over an abyss. 

Fool — Abyss? 

Wisdom — Yes, a deep, deep, very deep hole. 
(He inspects the place.) 

Fool — Well, I can't see anything wrong. 

Wisdom — Nothing wrong on the outside. No! 

Fool — Well, I am a fool and I don't know much. 

Wisdom — Well, I'll explain it to you — I always sym- 
pathize with a fool, anyhow — 

Fool— "Yas." 

Wisdom — This abyss, understand — 

Foot — O, O, yas, that deep, deep hole. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 19 

Wisdom — Well, this forms a gorge of 6 ft., almost as 
big as this cave itself— a gorge, you know. 

F00I—O yas, a big throat. 

Wisdom — Well, this is covered up by this rockplate 
. so nobody can see a thing of it — 

Fool — What did they do that for? 

Wisdom — O, the Indians have done that to keep their 
children from falling in. 

Fool— I don't blame them. 

Porter Celestial— (Standing in the mouth of the cove and 
makes a rap.) A report: Titus and Karl H. are 
returning from Crystal City. They jointly car- 
ry 700 pounds of gold, fastened with a rope to 
their spears, 10 ft. long. Bemember! 700 pounds. 
( docs back. ) 

Wisdom — And that's just a hundred pounds more than 
this rockplate will stand— - 

Fool— How do you know? 

Wisdom— O, I know the condition of this rockplate — 
Now, when they come up on here, down they'll 
go. Say, Prince of Pools, do you know what will 
save these men? 

Fool- Sure I do: Let them keep away from here. 

Wisdom— Now by the* living wit! You are no fool. — 
My friend, you are all right, but you wont do. 
(Both leave the rock/date. P. of Evil and P. of Ac- 
cidents merry over the troubled Heavenly Powers.) 

/>cst/n>/—NexV. 

Rescue — (does niton the rock/date) I am the Power of 
Rescue and I claim to know my business. 

Heavenly Poivers — Hurrah! 

Powers of Fate — Eh! — {They ml> their hands and spite- 



2d THK DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

fully laugh to the faces of the other* at every occa- 
sion. ) 
Rescue — Now then: They jointly carry 700 pounds 

fastened to their spears— 
Wisdom — That's right. 
Rescue — And as a matter of fact they must pass over 

this rockplate to exit the cave — 
Wisdom — Yes. 
Rescue — The men, then, will drop through the breech 

and both ends of the spears will dash down on 

the rock and lay across the gorge — 
Fool — How do you know they will? 
Wisdom— "Ach!" — The gorge is 6ft., the spears are 

10, you fool.- 
Fool — Well, I don't know much. 
Rescue — And right here is the point: Will the gold 

tear off and leave the spears as they dash down 

on the rock — 
Wisdom — The spears will not break, of course. 
Fool — How do you know they wont? 
Wisdom — "Ach!" — Don't you know that that relieves 

them of 700 pounds weighty 
Fool — Well, I don't know much. I'm too green. 
Destiny— Prince of Pools must not ask too many 

questions. We are in the hurry. (P. of Fools boius. ) 
Rescue — If, then, the gold tears off, the spears will 

not break and that will save the men. (He /ceres 

tin- rockplate. ) 
Heavenly Poicers — Glory! 
Powers of Fate —Nonsense! 

Ecil— Don't you know that they have their gold fas- 
tened with a stout rope? It never will tear off 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 21 

of the spears. 
Rescue— WeU then, everything will go to the dogs. 
Evil —To me; Ha! Ha! Greed is the root of all evil and 

I get them every time. 

(Destiny remains silent.) 
Heavenly Poivers — No! 
Powers of Fate Yes! 
Heavenly Powers Disperse! 
Powers of Fate — We are on our own ground! 
A ccide'nts— They are in aur power — 
Evil— By violating the laws of nature — 
Accidents As they have taken more weight than this 

rockplate will stand 
Evil— They are doomed! 
Heavenly Powers -Oh! Destiny! Save these men. Save 

them! Oh, Destiny! Why art thou silent? 
Destiny- Behold! O, ye Heavenly Powers: Man is 

the maker of his own destiny. And Providence 

provides for his lot. 

{Fnter: Providence is robed in snow white drapery.) 
Providence - IL^re is Providence! 
Heavenly Powers— HaiV. 
Providence Hail! 
Powers of Fate — Hail! 
Providence -O, I'll fix you up all right — Here. Power 

of Accidents, I've got a job for you: Just go and 

engage the hungry grasshoppers to eat up that 

rope around the spears while the men are asleep. 

Then give them this rusty piece of wire(/7<? holds it 

in his hand.)ix> fasten the gold again to the spears. 

and our boys wiU be all right. 
Evil — (To Accidents) Don't let him fleece you! 



22 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HAN. No. 

Accidents— {To Providence.) 0, I can't do that. Acci- 
dents must come from natural causes to satisfy 
the laws of nature. No, I can't do that, 

Providence — But is not the grasshopper scheme nat- 
ural. 

Accidents— O, Yes! 

Providence — Well then, go on and tend to your busi- 
ness. — and, Power of Evil, here is your job— 

y,; r //__0, no, no, no, no. I don't want to be mixed up 
in this. 

Providence — Well, see what it is. It's fun. 

Evil Well— 

Accidents — C To Evil) Don't let him fleece you! 

Providence— {To Evil.) O, now here: You take this 
rusty piece of wire and tie it to a lion's tad, then 
set him on Titus and Karl PL- 
AY// —Yes, and that would be the last of my lion.— 
No, no, no, no, no! I don't want to be mixed up 
in this. 

Providenci — I want them to get this piece of wire and 
they will take it and fasten their gold to the spears 
and be saved. Now, go on!— Why, Accidents, what 
are you waiting for? Why don't you go and en- 
gage the grasshoppers? 

Accidents — Why, Mr. Providence, who pays me for 
this job? 

Providence— O, it's only an act of humanity. That's all. 

Accidents — I say, nit! 

Rescue -Come here! I'll pay you. {A ruse.) 

ir/.sr/o///— Come here! I'll pay you. (A ruse.) 

Poverty— Come here! I'll pay you. 

Accidents — You've got nothing to pay with! 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 23 

Evil — Accidents, come here! 

{They hare a side whisper, then he comes buck.) 

Accidents — Why, Mr. Providence, I can be an angel, 
and I can be a devil. And these men waste much 
breath that they can make the Powers of Pate 
stand on their heads and they should be well able 
to take care themselves. We want to keep out 
of this muss. We will not go. 

Providence — But yon must! 

I'dii-cis of Fate -We will not! 

Evil— Ye Heavenly Powers, I defy you! 

Ilea vt nly Powers — Curse upon thee! Power of Evil. 
( All roar and quarrel and their voices mingle in 
chaotic confusion. The lights go down almost to 
total darkness until the tumult reaches its climax, 
then, suddenly the lights illuminate and the Power 
of Faith is on the scene. Nothing of his face or form 
call be seen except his hands and arms: otherwise the 
figure is veiled in snow white drapery and is 12 ft. tall) 
(The lights illuminate.) 

Power of Faith — Here is the Omnipotent Power of 
Faith. (He pauses awhile.) 

(All fall prostrate to the ground except Providence. 
The Powers Of Fate roll like rubber balls and cat- 
lapse over a leaping rock, heads down, thus standing 
on their heads. ) 

Power of Faith — Rise, ye Heavenly Powers!— 
(They rise to their feet). 

Power of Faith — Stand on your feetPowers of Fate!— 

(All stand scattered about in solemn silence) 
Powei •of Faith — Things that they could not foresee, 
Titus and Karl Hanno charge them through the 
Power of Faith and sway unknown forces. — Pow- 
er of Accidents is charged to engage the grass- 



24 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HAN. No. 

hoppers and do as designed by providence. 
(Accidents, on a flight, disappears in the care.) 
— Power of Evil is charged to tie that rusty piece 
of wire to the lion's tail, and do as designed by 
Providence to save the men. For the Maker of 
all things is a lover of life. 

(It thunders. A lion conies in and Evil takes that 
rusty piece of wire, handed to him hy Providence, 
and ties it to the lion's tail and disappears with him 
in the core. ) 

Power of Faith — Thus: The plan is carried out as 
designed by Providence. 

Man is the maker of his own destiny. And 
Providence provides for his lot. (Exit Providenc.) 
(The Heavenly Powers foil on their faces and for a 
moment all ore devoted to solemn silence. Power of 
Faith is apparently still there. But in the next mo- 
ment the veiled form drops to the (/round and they 
all rise.) 

Destiny — This is the Drama of Destiny by which man 
conquers by faith. He that is clad in faith, he it 
is who sways unknown forces and prevails against 
the moment of peril and fate. For the Maker of 
all things is a lover of life. 

Powers—; For ever! For ever! Glory. 

(Enter: Accidents out of the cove) 

Accidents— Holy Destiny: I engaged the hungry 
grasshoppers and they ate up that rope around 
the spears. Not satisfied with this, they even 
started to eat the clothes on their backs when 
they woke up just in time — 

Destiny— That wiU do. Next. 

[Enter: Evil out of the cave.] 

Evil — Holv Destiny! I set the lion on Titus and Karl 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 25 

H. and they woke up just in time to jump to their 
spears. And had it not been for the hungry 
grasshoppers who had severed the gold from the 
spears— 

Destiny That will do. I don't want to hear the rest, 

Porter Celestial— {Standing in the month of the cave and 
makes a rap.) A report: Titus and Karl H. found 
a rusty piece of wire on a dead lion's tail, 
and in order to outdo the grasshoppers they 
took this wire, fastened their gold to their spears, a 
good jerk and pop! goes the weasel. They are 
coming! {Goes back.) 

Heavenly Powers — Glory! Glory! For the Maker of 
all things is a lover of life. 

I hsting- They are coming. Disappear! (All disap- 
pear exc< /it Evil. ) 

Evil— (Alone. ) I am going to stay. I like to get bet- 
ter acquainted with these crackeryaks. Maybe 
I'll have a little fun with them yet. 
{Evil (joes overhead the mouth of the corf where he 
rinds suitable place to hide from T. a nil K. II. , as 
occasions require it. Titus and Karl 11. are heard 
singing in the distance. > 
Highlee, highloo, highla fa fa 
Halum Halum, ha, ha, ha! 
We've made the trip, our feat is such: 
It makes me think it beats the Dutch — Hurrah! 
(in sight. They have the long rope and torches lit.) 
Chorus — Hip! Hip! Hip! Honolulu, hee, hoh— whoa! 
O. my little Tootie! — Let us take a rest. 
( They unload, put the gold fastened to the spears with 
wire, on the edge of the rockplate and recuperate be- 
forejaging if over. They keep on their feet and 
more about in a delightful meanor. Evil watches 
them with keen interest: peeps down on them very 
cunningly, makes funny gestures concerning their 
talk, and /rides from them as occasion* require it.) 

Titus— Hail Columbia glory hallelujah, Stars Banner 



26 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

spangles — here we are! 700 pounds of pure gold 

between us. Karl, I feel too big in my clothes. 
Karl — O, I see air castles all around me. 
T — Ha! Ha! We will now marry girls of our choice. 
K — Hum! Hum! Ha! I asked a pretty little girl once 

to marry me and she gave me cold feet. 
T — Was she rich? 
K — No! — Poor little girl! I wiU now give her $10,000 

for her meanness. 
T — Why; why, what for? 
K — O, had she married me I would not now share in 

this fortune. 
T — Yes, yes, this is a funny .world. But don't you 

give her a cent. 
A Why not? 

T — Why, she'll be giving everybody cold feet. 
K — {Soliloquizing) Now by the holy writ, the man is 

right - Titus, I will not give her one cent. 
T— Yes, you see, if you give a girl $10,000 for a pair 

of cold feet— 
K — Save the rest for yourself. — By Craix, Titus, that 

lion gave us a close call, didn't hey 
T — Didn't he though? And the tigers and leopards, 

and the cursed grasshoppers — 
K — Yes, and that blamed old whirlpool — Titus, next 

time I take my choice in a bathtub in there I 

won't get quite so wet. 
T— Yes. Now you can afford a good one. 
K — After all: Man is the maker of his own destiny 

is a hard trade to learn. 
T — O, you will learn. Ah! You should guess 

what harbors in my mind — 
K — Tell it anyhow. 

7'— We will now go back home and help make the his- 
tory of Spain. 
Evil— Like hell you wiU! {Evil hides.) 

{T.andK. H.are su r prised and rush about glancing in 

every direction and allude to the presence of Indians.) 



THE DKAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO 27 

T — If you want anything we've got it. 

{They fire two pistol shots; then they </<> back upon 
the rockplate and pick up their load. They are in 
the best of humor , joking and laughing over their 
exploits, and as soon as they proceed, down they </o. 
The gold tears off of the spears, rumbling down the 
abyss, while the men arc swinging in its throat, 
hanging to the spears. Their excitement corresponds 
to the situation, andtheg manage at once to get out 
and both are on top again.) 

K — There now, brother Titus, our gold has gone to 
the dogs (Titus is silent) — Are we not compelled 
to recognize the Powers of Fate? 

T — We will see later on. But here is something 
that gives me a little thinking to do: That old 
rusty piece of wire has saved us from being 
swollowed by this abyss. 

A'— And that, too, for all the curses over the grass- 
hoppers and the lion. 

T— Yes, brother Karl. I can see here only the hand 
of Providence. And if man is the maker of his 
own destiny, then, Providence provides for his 
lot. 

K— O, O, O! This theory is only too true to reject it. 
But let us settle the question right here: Titus, 
do you still claim man is the maker of his own 
destiny? 

T — (He hesitates,- then with a taint voice) — Yes! Man is 
the maker of his own destiny. Behold the Pow- 
er of Faith! 

K — (With a strong voice.) I charge unknown forces 
through the Power of Faith! — When it comes to 
that Karl Hanno budges for nothing— Where is 
that rope? You stay right here and protect me 
on the top. 

T — Just as you say, Karl. Not that I am a coward. 

K — No, no, Titus, you are the better man, that's all. 
(They fasten the long rope to the spears and Karl 



2 8 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HAN NO. " 

slips down the abyss. It is now minim/, thundering 
and lightning. Two leopards come up, Evil comes 
down and sets them on Titus. Titus slips into the 
gorge. They thrust their heads after him. He shoots 
them and both drop dead. Evil makes an effort to 
unfasten the rope. Titus shoots him repeated/'/ but 
without effect. Then Titus says with strong voice, 1 
charge thee through the Power of Faith; and he is 
dispersed. Titus climbs out on the top. Karl is com- 
ing uj>. but is exhausted and Titus pulls him up 
and out.) ., 

T— Karl I actually came in contact with the devil 
Look! These two leopards, I laid them dead- 

£■— Never mind now what's in the past. Listen: Ihis 
is no natural abyss at all. This is a shaft down 
to an old gold mine. And I found $150,000,000 
worth of pure gold down there. This is aU ours. 
Now let us have our love feast. 
(They shake hands and embrace eachother, dance 
and exchange long bows in the most complimentary 
fashion with overwhelming joy. They then stand 

Together-Yes. Man is the maker of his own destiny! 
(They now set to work at once and busy themselves 
in getting up the gold, Karl slips down again the 
abyss a tat the curtain drops.) 



END OF ACT I. 



ACT II. 

[JScene: It is a large while room in the royalpalace. To 
the right is a table with three chairs faring six 
chairs to the left. A rope suspends over the table by 
which the large bell Is struck. There are two side doors 
opposite each other. The one to the left is enU r,or < xit 
No. 1 , and the one to the right is enter, or exit No. 2. 

Karl Hanno has changed from an adventurer to a stately 
looking gentleman with all manners of refinement, 
lie attires in a silk hat. long tail coat, white waist 
and black trousers, all richly ornamented with jew- 
elry. His conduct is always man/// and his demeanor 
is that of a courteous gentleman. 

Titus matches Karl 11. in attire except t/iot he wears a 
square cut coat. He remains true to his demeanor in 
the first act. All on the scene are typical Spaniards 
of the higher class. 

Miss Belle Hanno is a beautiful young lady in fashiona- 
ble attire. Her artless kindness and lady -like man' 
ners make her attractive and wins for herself the 
affection and admiration of others. Age, ,J/,: weight, 
135; height 5 ft. 7 in. 

Premier is a dignified person in uniform and /rears a 
mustache. Age, ■')(>: weight, 180. 

King Philipp wears the tokens of a sovereign. He is of 
good humor, good demeanor and jovial on proper 
occasions with royal dignify. Age, .7.7; weight, 160; 
height, 5 ft. 7 in. 

General Duke of Olivars is of stern demeanor an/1 of a 
Spanish swell. He wears the uniform and a mus- 
tache. Age, SO; weight 190; height, 5 ft. 11 in.. 



3 o THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

Mourine is the belle of beauty with all manners of re- 
finement which Unci expression in her loveliness as a 
perfect lady. She is of the royal stamp and is in roy- 
al attire. Age, 22; weight, 125; height, 5 ft. 6 in. 

Time and season: In daytime and in early summer.] 

(The curtain raises. Belle walks ((cross the floor 

from right to left carrying a parasol. Site passes 

Karl H. half way across the floor who is coming from 

the opposite direction.) 
Karl— (To Belle. ) How do you do? 

(Belle takes it for an insult and passes on.) 
Karl — (He turns.) Why, lady what's wrong? 
Belle — (She turns.) Excuse me. I do not know you, 

stranger. (She passes on.) 
K — (He walks up.) Why, sister Belle, I am your 

brother! 
Belle — (Stops.) Why Karl, is that you? — How have 

you changed! I thought you were lost. 
K — Not quite so. Dear sister, how are you getting 

along? (They embrace each other.) 
Belle — Hard, hard. {Leave embrace.) I am waitress for 

$2 a week, and that is all I have to depend on. 
K — All things shall now change. Our poverty is 

doomed to make room for the highest attainments 

of life — Take a chair, Belle, sit down! 

[They sit down to the table. Karl writes on a piece 

of paper and hands it to her.) 
K — Here, sister, is a draft for you on the Bank of 

France for $50,000. 

(She takes the draft and does not know what to 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 31 

make of it.) 

Belle — Why, Karl, what does this mean? 

K — That means a fortune of which $50,000 don't 
amount to a drop in the bucket. 

Belle— (Puts her arms a round h is neck.) Tell me, broth- 
er, what has happened, anyhow? 

K — O, I and my best friend — 

Belle— I am your best friend. 

K— O— Well, I and Titus, a dear friend of mine, have 
been on a little exploit in South America — 

Belle — You have! 

A'— O, yes. And just think: We have brought back 
with us $150,000,000 worth of gold between us 
which we found in an old deserted gold mine. 
Titus was to meet me here to wind up the rest 
of our business. Belle, there is a chance 
for you. He is a bachelor. There he comes 
now. 

{Enter, No. 1: Titus. Re carries a yrip. Karl 
goes to meet him, takes him back to the table 
and introduces him to his sister and take their 
seats.) 

T— Now listen: I spent $50,000,000. 

K — Well, well, well — Belle, you have to get used to 
our big vocabulary — Well, Titus, you really did- 
n't spend it, did you? 

T — Only in this way: I bought up all the banking- 
stock of the banks of Spain and I've got the dead 
grip on the bankers. 

K — Heavens! Now there is notULig left for me. 



32 THK DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

T — Plenty. Suppose war breaks out and the king- 
wants to make a native loan, I '11 see to it that he'll 
not get it in the banks of Spain. Then you step in 
and fix him up with a loan and impose conditions 
on him to suit yourself. Now, there.is a scheme. 

K — Now, why didn't I think of that! 

Belle — O, I do not like to hear talk about war. Karl, 
are you not opposed to war? 

K — I am. But now, dear sister, I figure on the 
dollars and cents there is in it. 

7' — Excuse me, lady, we will not talk about war. 

Belle — Pardon me, Mr. Titus, I did not mean to inter- 
fere with your business. 

T — 0, that is all right. And, ha, we men cannot af- 
ford to brush away the advice of a fair-minded 
woman. Never! 

Belle- Thank you! 

T — With all my attention. O, I have nothing in view 
so as to speak of, only this: Permit me to tell 
you that your brother and I have pledged to each 
other eternal friendship — 

Belle — O, yes. I heard him mention his best friend — 
But I am interrupting you. 

7'— Not at all for the rest of my story was not so im- 
portant. 

Belle — O, please be kind enough and finish it. I am 
not so hard to please. 

T — Karl, do you object to the taking up all the time 
to ourselves? 

A — No! No! No. Go ahead! 

T — Thanks. — {He takes a little casket out of his grip. ) 
Now what is good for anybody is good for you. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 33 

Here, Miss Belle, I make you a present of this 
casket containing $50,000 worth of the costliest 
jewelry, and to my wealth it does not amount to 
a drop in the bucket. 

Belle — {completely baffled.) O, Mr. Titus, you are so 
kind. But this is more than I can accept as I 
have nothing to return, for I am poor. 

T— So much the better — 

K — Why Belle, what are you afraid of? 

Belle— Nothing. 

T — Well, here is your present. For I am happy when 
I can make others happy. 

Belle — O, Mr. Titus, you are indeed kind. But I can- 
not accept that present as I have nothing to re- 
turn, not even my love. 

7v— Belle, come here! 

[Karl takes J!e//<> to one side. Titus remains sitting 
reading a paper.) 

K — (a£ide)Wiry, Belle, what makes you act so foolish, 
Can't you love that man? 

Belle— Yes, he is so kind. But I am engaged to a man. 

A'— Why, let him go! 

Belle— O, he will be miserable all his life. 

K— What do you care? He would do you the same. . 

Belle — But I cannot get rid of him. 

K— Just give him cold feet, he'll travel. 

Belle — O, he would never forgive me. 

K — Why, you foolish girl. Take those costly jewel- 
ries so you have something to beautify you. Your 
lover hasn't got anything, I know. Now, will 
you take that present just to please me to avoid 
an offence to mv friend? 



34 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

Belle — Yes, I will take that present. 

{They go back and take their seats at the table.) 

Belle — Yes, Mr. Titus, I will take that present. But 
I have a lover and I am engaged. 

T — It is all the same. Here is your present. {Belle 
takes the casket.) For I am happy when I can 
make others happy. And the jewelry will be an 
additional stock to your beauty. Of course I 
did not know you had a lover. 
{All leave their seats. Belle's lover enters No. 1, 
watches thou, and slowly walks up unnoticed.) 

Belle — O, Mr. Titus, I shall remember your unselfish 
kindness forever. {Belle's lover stands behind of 
her unnoticed. Belle and Titus make a compliment- 
ary boiv to each other. Her lover is very indignant 
over her doings whereupon he takes her by the hand 
and both leave. Exeunt No. 1.) 

T— Well, this is a funny world. 

K— Never mind, Titus, she'll get enough of that fel- 
low. She'll be back. 

{An alarm is given by the large bell mingled with 
cries of war.) 

K. and T— War! War! Let it come! It is only a game 
of which we will deal the cards ourselves. 
(Karl goes behind the scene. Exit No. 1, Titus.) 

{Enter No. 1: Six men. They represent bankers 
and take seats to the left. They greet the premier as 
he enters No. 2 and takes his seat at the table. He 
who speaks rises and sits down again.) 

Premiei — Gentlemen bankers: Let me state to you 
that we have an empty treasury, and it is the ob- 
ject of this meeting to raise a war loan of $50,000,- 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 35 

000 to drive the Dutch out of South America. — 

Bankers — Hurrah! Away with the dutch! 

{Titus stands in door No. 1 and hands a note to a 
boy not noticed by the premier, and goes back. The 
boy brings the note and hands it to the chief of the 
banks, and goes back. He silent! y reads the note.) 

Prem — Yes. Hurrah for Spain! But now to the 
point. — The loan must be furnished by the banks 
of Spain so as to keep us free from foreign obli- 
gations. Now, gentlemen bankers, come on with 
your offers! 

Ch. of B — Excellency, Premier! — 

Prem — Your honor, Chief of the Banks! 

( 'h. of B — I have just received a notice that half of the 
banks of Spayi are bankrupt and the other half 
hasn't got a dollar to spare. . 

Prem — Heavens! What sort of a thing is this? 

Ch. of B- : Tha,t's right! 

Prem —Gentlemen Bankers. You are in the wrong 
place. You are not the men I want. 
(Karl walks up frombehind the scene. He keeps on 
hisjeet.) 

Karl — Excellency, here is .the man you want! 

Pre in — Hail thee, hail! Sir, here is an opportunity for 
you. — And what is your name? 

Karl — My name is Karl Hanno. 

Prem — Karl Hanno — a duke? 

Karl — No. — A man of fortune. 

Prem — That's still better— Karl Hanno, man of for- 
tune, it has fallen to my lot to raise a war loan of 
$50,000,000 to drive the Dutch out of South 
America — 



36 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

Karl — I've got it. 

Prem— Understand, it's $50,000,000. 

Karl— O, yes, and I've got it. I will furnish the loan. 

Prem — Man of fortune, make out your papers at once! 
I will have mine ready in a moment. 

Karl — Excellency, not quite so fast. My situation 
compels me to see the King. 

Prem — Oh! You are quite smooth — Well, you shall see 
the King. And that lets you out, ye gentlemen 
bankers. 

(Exeunt No. 1: The six honkers.) 
[Premier palls on the rope of the large bell.)^ 
{Enter No. 1: Two soldiers. The;/ post themselves on 
each side of the door. A waiter carries a stately 
chair to the table and goes back. The King, with 
two adjutants, enters. The soldiers salute, the others 
bow, whereupon he takes his seat at the table.) 

King— Present your wishes! 

Prem — {with etiquette) Your Majesty is herewith in- 
formed that the War Loan, which was to be furn- 
ished by the banks of Spain, is beyond hope — 

King— Well. Well. 

Prem — Majesty, I have the honor of introducing to 
you this gentleman here, Karl Hanno. (Karl botes) 
He offers to furnish the War Loan but his situa- 
tion compels him to see the King. 

King — Very well, Karl Hanno, you are cordially invit- 
ed to proceed without ceremony. Gentlemen, 
take seats with me. Speak freely. It is now 
business understand. (They take seats.) 

Karl— Majesty: I am happy to state that I and Titus, 
my business partner, have acquired a fortune in 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 37 

South America of $150,000,000 worth of gold — 

King — Very well — And who is your business partner? 
( Kilter No. 1: Titus. He is stopped by the guards 
at the door.) 

Karl — There he is now! 

King — Let him come. 

) Titus somes and Karl introduces him to the king 
and the premier, and take their seats.) 

King— Now, where is that $150,000,000 of gold? 

Preni -Majesty, it is not in the banks of Spain. 

Titus — No, indeed. Majesty, I have already spent 
most of mine in big business corporations and 
the remainder is in the Bank of France. 

Karl — And that's where mine is. 

King — But why in the Bank of France? 

Karl — Majesty, we feared that the sovereignty of 
Spain may lay claim to our find by reason of 
the Spanish discovery. 

Titus — Majesty: It is only a matter of business. 

King — Ah! You display great tactics. I find use for 
such men in my service. 

Karl — (to Titus) So then we are all right so far (ap- 
plause)— Now, I offer to furnish the $50,000,000 
loan on 2 per cent interest, secured by govern- 
ment bonds. 

Pre in — Government bonds 

King— Government bonds! 

Karl — Yes, government bonds. Understand that will 
secure me and my business partner against any 
attack upon our find iu South America. 

Titus — Majesty: It is only a matter of business. 

King — My friends, you are quite smooth. But give 



38 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

us the money and you shall have your government 
bonds.— Premier, make out your papers! 

Prem — Here, here, they are all ready. — Majesty, just 
sign your name. (Hands him the papers.) 
(King signs and Karl signs his draft.) 

Prem — Here now, are your government bonds! 

Karl — And here is your draft on the Bank of France. 
for §50,000,000. (They take their papers.) 

Prem — And now suppose we will go and take a drink 
on that and get a little fresh air. (applause) 

( Exe unt No. 3: King and his suit) 
(Exeunt No. J: Prem., K. and T.) 
(Enter No. 2: Fire servants. They arrange for a re- 
ception party, takeout the chairs and the table and 
bring in other chairs, a large table and two sofas, 
oil of a higher grade, and leave.) 
(Enter No. 1: Duke of Olivars and Mourine walk 
arm in arm across the floor and pass two boys tivo- 
thirds of the tea;/ towards exit No. 2 and pass out.) 

Boy y — Who were that couple? 

Boy x — That was the Duke of Olivars and Mourine Is- 
abella, the king's only daughter. They are going 
to be married the next new moon. 

(Exeunt No. 1: The two boys.) 
(Enter No. 2: Roy al orchestra take scats and is followed 
by the Icing with two adjutants, the queen with two 
lady attendants, Duke of Olivars and Mourine with 
her lady attendant, two young men with two young 
ladies. The rogal orchestra preludes as they cuter.) 

King — (all keep standing.) My friends: I take the 
pleasure of giving a reception in honor of our new 
friends, Karl Hanno and Titus. — Here, adjutant, 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 39 

are two invitation cards. Deliver same to Karl 
Hanno and Titus. 

(Exit No. 1: Adj.) 
(The reception is carried on in jovial fashion.) 

( 'horns — Long live our King - ! Hurrah! 

King — Thank you! Thank you! Thank you all. — Now, 
my friends, I have the honor of telling you that 
these men are quite smooth — 

Chorus— Hum! Hum! 

King — And that they have money to burn — 

(.Response by royal orchestra by astroke of a note.) 

King Ha! — I understand these men are bachelors 
and Mourine, dear daughter, be careful and not 
go too far in your sweet maneuvers else they may 
lose their heads over you. (Jovial mirth.) 

Mourine — Thank you, pa! 
{Kntcr No. 1: Adj.) 

Adj. — Majesty, they are coming! 

King— Well, let them come. 

(Enter No.l: K.and T. The royal <>reliestj'<i preludes. ) 

K. and T. — (longbow) Long live our King! 

King Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! — Respect- 
ing your honors, Karl Hanno and Titus: This is 
her Highness my wife (K. and T. bow.) — and this 
is her Highness Mourine Isabella, my only 
daughter. She will next occupy the throne of 
Spain (A', and T. bow) — and this is General Duke 
of Olivars, but he is now filling a vacancy as State 
Treasurer on account of death, (The 1/ mutually bow) 
and all the rest are our friends. (They bow re- 
spectively) — Now make yourselves at home! 
(The waiters serve cake ami iriue on the table while 



4 o THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

K. H. and T. pass Havana cigars around, then all 
sit down to the table and the men light their cigars.) 

Karl — Stop! Gentlemen, stop smoking! We have not 
asked the ladies whether smoking is allowed. 

Mour. — O yes, Sir, it is allowed. You are the first gen- 
tleman that ever respected us with this question. 

Karl — Highness, I learned that from the Americans. 

Mour. — Your honor, bring some over here! 
(Karl bows to her.) 

Duke — (to Mour. aside) You ought not make such 
sweet manouvers. 

Queen — Respect your honor, Karl Hanno, have you 
any folks'? 

Karl — Not any, Highness, except one sister, and Mr. 
Titus here may soon change her name, (applause) 

Mour. — I fancy she is a perfect lady. 

Karl — Thank you, Highness!( K. bows;M. bows in return ) 

Duke— (to Mour. aside.) You ought not make such 
sweet maneuvers. 

King— Happy Titus, will you accept the office of State 
Secretary? 

Titus — I accept the office— Long live the king! 

King — Good! You are now our State Secretary. — Karl 
Hanno, will you accept the office of State Treas- 
urer and relieve the Duke of Olivars? 

Karl — I accept the office — Long live the king. 

King — Good! You are now our State Treasurer. I make 
this choice because you have plenty of money 
without stealing any. (applause and drinks follow. ) 
(Mourine gets up and passes cake around the table.) 

Mour. — (To Karl) Sir, would you try a cake? 

Karl — Thank you, Highness! Long live Mourine 
Isabella! (both bow) 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 41 

Karl — My sister baked a cake for the Colonial Secre- 
tary just like this one and she received the "De- 
gree of Honor. ' ' 

Mour. — I baked this one to pass examination and I 
received O. K. ( applause) 

Duke — (to Mour. aside) You ought not make such 
sweet maneuvers. 

Karl -And your Highness delights in serving it? 

Mour. — Precisely — 

Duke — {abruptly and loud) Stop with your sweet 
maneuvers! 

Mour.— "Well, I will tell it anyhow: My lady attendant 
felt a little shy about serving the cake to the high 
guests and in order to settle the question we 
pulled straws and I drew my lot. (applause) 
( All net up. The royal orchestra plays and all join in 
dancing with happy faces lasting one minute during 
which the Duke and Karl become rivals of Mourine. 
An alarm is given by the large bell and all leave in 
a hurry except Karl and Titus who remain. 

Exeunt No. 2) 

Karl —Well, this is a funny world. 

Titus — Hiss! Hiss! That was an alarm. 

(Adj., standing in door No. 2 and raps to draw the 
attention of K. and T. who have their backs turned 
to him as they look toward door No. 1, opposite No. 
2. As the raps then, occur in back of them the;/ must 
turn and see who it is, and so on.) 

Adj. — The king sends an apology for having left in 
the hurry, (goes back) 

Porte) — (in door No. 1 , raps) — because of the alarm! 
(goes back) 

Mess. — (in door No. 2, raps) The king requests you 
gentlemen not to go away, (goes back) 



42 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

Waiter' — (in door No.l mps)Mbecausehe is not through 
with you yet. (goes back) 

Clown— (in door No. 2 raps) The king sends word not 
to get mad. 

Karl — You teU your king you came just in time. 

( 'lown — Hum-Yea! 

Titus — You tell your king we are getting sick of this — 

Clown — Hum- Yea! He will send you the doctor, (goes 
back) 

Karl — For heavens sake, Titus, we are selling our 
honor. 

Titus— Hiss! Hiss! I've got it: The king has a plan in 
his head and he wants to keep the iron hot^- O, I 
haven't got that right yet — Mourine has an eye 
on you and the king wants to give you his daught- 
er. 

Karl — Hush! Hush! Ah! that belle of beauty— Hum! 
(Enter No. 2: Adjutant.) 

Adj.— Gentlemen: The king is requesting you to wait 
just a moment as he wishes to communicate to 
you, Karl Hanno, a matter of a private affair 
through the premier. So do not get out of pa- 
tience to wait. Remember: Just a moment. 

K. and T. — Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you ! 

(Exit No. 2: Adjutant) 

Titus— Weil, now that settles it — a matter of a private 
affair — Karl, what more do you want? 

Karl — Only this: The good thing is coming too easy. 

Titus — What of it? Now, when the premier comes, 
you wiU accept the proposition, marry her and 
the thing will be over with. Don't you see? 

Karl — Yes, I see. 

Titus — Well, now comes the premier. 

Karl — Well, let him come. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 43 

Prem.— (enter No. .S) Gentlemen! 

K. and 7'.— Excellency! 

Prem. — Karl Hanno, man of fortune, I am charged by 
his Majesty to acquaint you with the king's plan 
having for its purpose to form an alliance of his 
daughter, Mourine Isabella, and General Duke 
of Olivars, the wedding of which is to take place 
next Thursday. But, as bad luck would have it, 
the duke is in debt $5,000,000 and his creditors 
furiously demand their money. In order to avert 
public scandals, his Majesty asks you to loan him 
$5,000,000 to set straight his intended son-in-law. 
— King wishes to keep this matter private. — What 
have you to reply? 

Karl — I will furnish him the loan. Rate of interest 2 
per cent, secured by government bonds. 

Prem. — Thank you, But for the government bonds 
I have to see the king. And you gentlemen may 
wait here a moment and amuse yourselves as 
best you may until I return. (Exit No. 2 premier) 
{Karl and Titus stand face to face struck dumb,then 
laugh out of full breath.) 

Hart Now, smarty, will that do you? 

Tit ns— Hum!— Wouldn't they rub their hands over it 
if they knew it? 

Karl— Wouldn't they though? But we will keep pretty 
quiet about this. 

Titus — Well, I should say — Of course you love her. 

Karl — Of coursel love her. But what on earth ex- 
plains the reception? 

Titus — O, I suppose they wanted to tickle us a little 
with royalty. That's all. 



44 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

Karl — Just wait. I'll fix his clock: I'll tie him up by 

that loan and we will have the satisfaction to rub 

our hands over a pretty royal humiliation. "That's 

me. ' ' 

(Enter Ko. 2: Premier) 
Prem. — Karl Hanno is requested to see the king! 
Karl- Thank you! " (Exit No. 2: Karl) 

Prem. —I am worried to death. Confound it, we've 

got too many dukes. 
Titus— So then, the duke wi'.l marry the king's 

daughter, that's certain, is it? 
Prem. — As certain as he can make it. — There must be 

something wrong at the bottom of it in the duke's 

case. I don't quite understand it. 
Titus — O, yes, money matters are always serious 

things. How is his Majesty fixed on government 



bond 



s. 



Prem. — How fixed? The king cannot give government 

bonds unless he goes to scheming on something 

and I am afraid Karl Hanno will tie him up by 

that loan. 
Titus — Not at all. Karl Hanno is too good to be 

shrewd. 
Prem. — Too good? He is always after government 

bonds. — But excuse me. I am called off again. 
I am worried to death. Confound itl(Exit No. 2: Prem.) 

(Titus is jovial and rubs his hands over their plight) 

(Enter No. 2: Karl) 
Karl — (rubs his hands) I've done it now. I tied up 

the king in good shape. 
Titus — That's what the premier was afraid of. But I 

painted you as white as I could, (rubs his hands.) 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 45 

Karl — Good! And what about the premier? 

Titus — He was worried to death. 

Karl — 0, pitty! — And what did he say? 

Til us — There must be something wrong at the bot- 
tom of it in the duke's ease, he thought. But 
what about you and the king? 

Karl — (with deep concern) Titus — Let me tell you I 
am resolved to seize the opportunity. Mourine, 
no doubt, has an eye on me. Between her and 
me is the duke and he must be discarded. Now, 
help me in this plot. ( They clasp hands. ) 
( Enter No. .?: Premie,-. ) 

Prem. — Here, Karl Hanno, arc your government 
bonds. {Hands him t lie bonds.) 

Karl — And here is your draft (hands him the draft) on 
the Bank of France for $5,000,000. 

Prem. — (feels relieved) And now suppose we will go and 
have another drink on th&t. (Exeunt Xo.l: All three) 

Mourine— Enter No. ..\ alone. She sinks on the sofa,po?r- 
ders, then gets up, utters a sigh and sinks on the sofa 
again.) Ah! — There is something upon my heart 
over which I feel sorely perplexed. He does not 
love me; he is unkind, he speaks harsh, already 
he thinks himself my superior. — On the other 
hand: I never knew what love was until that hap- 
py reception, {she gets up) And here I am (loud) 
chained to the duke against my free will {still 
louder) and must now become his wife within a 
few days, (drops voice softly) I am unhappy, (sinks 
back on the sofa. Tomebody is knocking and she 
jumps up and listens. — Knocking again .) 

Jlour. — Come! 



46 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

{Enter No.l: Karl. He remain* at tJie-door and bows) 

Karl — Highness, am I disturbing you? 

Hour.— ■ (delight fully) Not at all. The opportunity is 
yours to speak. What is it you wish? 
(Karl walk* up) 

Karl — I wish you a long and a happy life, (only K. botes) 

Mour. — Thank you, my friend. But I fear it will be 
quite the contrary. 

Karl — Perhaps you have good reasons to— Ah! mar- 
riage is one thing and love is another. In my 
estimation all other tilings must be set aside when 
happiness is in the balance of destiny. And as to 
my destiny I cannot but say you are the mistress of 
my heart and I shall never be happy without you. 

Mour.— Ah! my friend. Royalty is slavery to political 
intrigues and I am forced —I am forced to an al- 
liance with the duke. Would to God I were free. 

Karl — Mourine — It is in my power to free you — 

(They profoundly pose at each other in a manner as 
if possessed of thoughts most sublime. Then Karl, in 
a manner most impressive, slowly backs away step 
by step with his eyes resting upon Mourine, who un- 
mistakably lores him. He bows in the door as he 
passes out Exit No. 1) 

Mour. — (alone) What a difference between a gentle- 
man and a swell— 
(The duke is heard-calling ) — Mourine! O, Mourine! 

Mour. — 0,now comes the duke (she skips out Exit No. 2) 

Duke — (Enter No. l) Mou-rine!— O, Mourine! — Con- 
found it, where are you? (He skips out Exit No. ..') 
( Enter No. 1: Mourine.) 

Mour. — Who will blame me? He does not love mo. — 
(Enter No. ..': Queenm other and her attendant.) 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 47 

Queen — My clear child, the duke wants to see you. 
Moid-. — Let him come where I am. — Ma, I think the 

duke and I will never go one way: He is unkind, 

he speaks harsh, already he thinks himself my 

superior. I do not love him. 

{The duke is heard calling) Mou-Tinel — 0,Mourine! 

Confound it, where are you? 
Mou r. — Do you hear that, ma? And do you blame me? 
Queen - Yes, I hear. He has little respect for a lady. 

{Duke is heard calling) Mou-rine! 
Mour.— Yes! 

{Entc i- No. 2: Duke) 
Duke- Mourine, where are you keeping yourself? 
Mour. — O, you do not love me. 
Duke—'Wh.y sure I do. Confound it, yes, Mourine, I 

can die for you. I speak a little harsh because I 

command soldiers, but you will soon get used to 

that, I want to see you about our wedding ar- 
rangements next Thursday. 
Mour. — O, I am in no hurry to get married. 
Duke Is that so? 

Mour. — Yes, that is so. I do not love you. I never did. 
Duke — Yes, yes, Karl Hanno has caught your eye at 

the reception and that explains the whole thing. 

(Enter Xo. 1 : K. mid T. J-Jae/i carries a large book) 
K. and T. — (bow) Respect your Highness. 
Titus — Duke, how do you do? 
7vV l 'W--Duke, how is your health? 
Duke — Your presence is not wanted. You stir up too 

much dust. Go and tend to your business! 
Karl — That's exactly what I am after. — You know his 

Majesty appointed me State Treasurer to relieve 

you of that office. 



48 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 

Duke — Yes! 

Titus— And appointed me State Secretary. 

Duke— Yes! 

Karl— Very well. — Now, General Duke of Olivars, 
would you be so kind and explain these figures in 
here, (he opens thebook and shows him the figures.) 

Duke — Why certainly (he shoios on the book) — These 
light figures is the income; and the heavy figures 
is the expenditure. Understand, I am no book- 
keeper, I am fit for a general only and it may be 
the figures got mixed up a little. 

Karl — Thank you, general! — Highness, excuse us! 
(A', and T. keep facing them by stepping backwards 
on their way out and bow in the dour asthey leave. 

Exeunt No. 1) 

Duke — Hum! they are quite smooth — Ladies, excuse 
me a moment. {He sets out after them. Exit No. 1 . ) 
r. — Ha, that is the first time I ever heard him ad- 
dressing us as ladies. 
[Enter No. 2: King) 

Mour. — f falls on her knees before him) O, pa, my hap- 
piness is in the balance. 

King — My child, I certainly love you. Get up! 

Duke— (Enter No. 1) Lo! Lo! For heavens sake, Majes- 
ty, I humbly beg (falls on his knees) 

King -What is the trouble? Get up! 

I >nke— (gets up)I wish the arrest of Karl Hanno. He 
is stirring up too much dust around here. 

King— What is the charge? 

Duke — Majesty, he has caught the eye of your loving 
daughter and I am the victim of a refused lover. 

ijnrrii — Duke of Olivars: Karl Hanno is a gentleman. 
But you have shown a small amount of re- 
spect for my daughter. I have heard you call. 

Duke — Pardon me,royal mother.I love your daughter. 
(to Mon ri ne) — I love you Mourine. 

Mour. — No! You are not my free choice: You are un- 
kind, you speak to me as you would to a soldier. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL HANNO. 49 

Already you think yourself my superior. I do 
not love you. (to the king) — 0, pa, free me! free 
me from the engagement! 

King — My daughter, my child: It is too late now for 
you to make confessions. If there were any 
weighty charges brought against the duke that 
would justify the act, I would,and I could declare 
you free and let you make your own choice. But 
as the case stands now, and the fact that he loves 
you, such a thing is out of the question, (loud) So 
the engagement must stand {softly) and the mar- 
riage cannot be interfered with. 
{Enter No. 1: Karl H. ami Titus each have a large 
book,and the sheriff in uniform. The;/ boa- to theking) 

K. and T. — Majesty! Pardon your humble servants! 

King — What is the matter? 

Karl — {lays his book on the table) Serene Majesty: We 
have just examined the books and I bring a 
charge against the Duke of Olivars of an embez- 
zlement of $5,000,000 of government money while 
he was State Treasurer. Here is the sheriff to 
arrest him. 

King — {loud and effective) Mourine Is Free! 

{ The duke is taken away by the sheriff. Karl and 
Mourine clasp hands in a manner manifesting their 
love and free choice and the curtain drops.) 

END OF ACT II. 



ACT III. 

| Scene: It is a narrow valley winding between mountains 
with a branch— water course— 50 feet wide running 
over leaping rocks. 60 yards in the background to 
the left is a magnificent castle across the branch and 
a promenada leading from the castle over the branch, 
spanned by a bridge, makes a connection witha 
stately cottage to the right in the immediate fore- 
ground consisting of a beautiful lawn. In front of 
this cottage is a cost/;/ sofa in the shape of a crescent 
with a leanback to it and has a seating capacity of 
12 and a stand is placed in front of it. The cottage 
has two doors side by side and a partition between 
them of 7 feet high. The doorsare marked "No. i" 
and "No. 2" which means enter or exit No. 1, enter 
or exit No. ..'. 

Karl Hanno and Titus hare not changed attire except 
their black trousers for white. 
Season in hot summer. 

Mourine is ahvays the belle of beauty and has changed 
attire in royal fashion. 

Miss Belle //anno has changed attire and is robed in jew- 
elry making her appear very beautiful and hand- 
some. The others of the last scene have not changed, 

The curtain raises. Karl H. and Mourine are seen 
walking with locked arms in the background, back 
and forth, while Belle is sitting in the sofa inspecting 
the jewelry presented to her by Titus.] 

Belle— (alone) That's just so pretty— O, he was so 
kind— He was worthy of all my love if I had it 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY-CARL HANNO. 51 

to give.— 0, could I only get free again from 

that tyrant — 

[Titus raps on the cottage comer to attract Belle's 
attention.] 
Til us. — [bows] How do you do Miss Belle; are you 

not lonesome by yourself? 
Belle.- — [leaves her seal Why how do you do Mr. Titus. 

I have been wishing for you many a time. Won't 

you take a seat .' 
T. — Take a seat:' Why certainly [they fair seals in 

the xo/Y/]— Perhaps I can tell you a few things 

that might interest yor- — 
Belle. — Thank you. You are so kind. A woman's 

first estimation of a man is his kindness and I 

have learned to appreciate it. But 1 forgot you 

had something to tell rnc — go ahead 
T. — Miss Hann< — 

.BeWr— Excuse rar — -uist call me Belle. 
T. — Thank you — Belle, 1 wish you had been there. We 

had great experience with royalty last time in 

Barcilona, and your brother played his cards so 

well that he made a clean sweep for a successful 

career in life — 
Belle — That is good to start on. 
T. — Indeed — and just think: He is now on the main 

track to become the husband of our future queen — 
Belle— -Well, I declare ! 
T. — Yes, he is engaged to Mourine Isabella- — and what 

is not impossible, by means of his future wife, Karl 

may become king of Spain. 
Belle- — Does she love him? 
7 1 .— Love him ? Yes, she does love him. 
Belle-—0, these engagements— I don't know — why 

don't he marry her? 



52 THE DKAMA OF DESTINY-GAEL HAXNO. 

T. — Understand, there is a political reason ahead 
of it. Belle, how are you getting along with your 
lover? I know you are not married. 

Selle — I have not much to say. I thought lots of that 
fellow; moreover, I was a poor girl, working for 
$2 a week, and as he had a little money to get mar- 
ried on .1 accepted him. But he soon proved to 
be a betting man and a gambler — and this is what 
I have to tell you : Look here ! All this costly jew- 
elry which you gave me for a present, this he 
wants me now to sell it and give him the money 
so he can go and bet on a big horse race. 

T.-^ [excited] What? 

Belle — 0, yes; it is a straight story. And when I re- 
fuser 1 , to do anything of the kind- — 0. I do hate 
to tell the rest. 

T.— Belle \he hesitates] Belk— 

BeUc— What is it, Mr, Titus? 

T 7 .— There is no one here now to interfere with our 
conversation. I simply want to tell you that I 
have loved you ever since I laid my eyes on you. 
Can you return it? 
[HJie hesitates. \ 

7\~-Can you return my lo.ve .' 

Belli- — I know I could. 

T- — Belle, my fortune is greater than you can realize, 
and you shall be the mistress in all things of mine 
for which I ask you to make my home the hap- 
piest place on earth. Can you? 

Belle— I could, and I would like to. 

T.— What binds you? 

Belle — Pitty me. I have made an unhappy marriage. 
Yes, I am married. 

T. — [He <jets up, turns his bach] I have loved in vain. 
Belle, what made you marry himt I would have 



THE DRAMA OF DESTlNi r --CAEL HANNO. 53 

given you all the money that you desired when 1 

first met you. [Sets down again] 
Belli — When I first met you I had given him a solemn 

promise which I did not want to break. Could 

you still love me? 
T.- — With undying love, I could. How long have you 

been married to him? 
Belle — Ten days. 
T. — But there is no hope for us. Remember: Ours is a 

Catholic country, and they will not grant you a 

divorce. 
Belli— No hope for us? [Both leave their seats.] . 
T.—No hope for us; no divorce for yon. It is done. 

Yet I love you intensely. 

[Karl and Mourine stand behind, them with locked 
arms. Karl draws their attention; they have a 
hearty (/reeling. Karl introduces his sister to 
Mourine and they take seats in the sofa : Mourine 
first; Karl next; Belle next, and Titus newt.] 
K. — Sister Belle, how are you getting along with your 

lover ? 
B. — Brother, please ask Mr. Titus what he knows 

about it. 
A'.— How is it, Titus? 
1 . — Why, she married that fellow. 
K.~- She did ? 

T. — Yes, and he demands of her to sell the costly jew- 
elry I gave her for a present, give him the mony 

so he can go and bet on a big horse race. Belle 

hates to tell the rest. 
K.— How is it, Belle? 
B.- — Why, brother, dear, he threatens to kill me if. I 

keep this costly jewelry I got from Mr. Titus, and 

I made away and came to you men to protect me. 

[Belle's husband walkes right up in front of them, 



THE DRAMA OE DESTINY-GAEL HANNO. 54 

draws a revolver on Belle and fires. Titus quickly 
throws himself in front of Belle and receives the 
shot, while Karl quickly jumps up and seizes the 
assassin's hands before he can fire another shot. 
Mo urine, and especially Belle, show the greatest 
anxiety about Titus being hurt. An officer come* 
and takes care of the assassin.] 
T. — No! I am not hurt at all. [He opens his waist.] 
Look ! here is the bullet that was fired. I always 
wear a bullet-proof shirt ; so does Karl. [Belle 
trhows her arms around Titus.] 
Mour. — You men are fully intitled to what you stand 
for. It seems as nothing can withstand your valor. 
Oh, valor, valor, this beautiful valor! 
B.- — Oh, Titus, you have saved my life. I owe you all 
my love and more than I can give. And now I am 
free ! I am free. The law makes me free from 
that tyrant. 
[Enter: An officer.] 
Off.' — Miss Belle Hanno : Once more you will go by 

your virgin name. Here is your divorce. 
T.' — [He locks arms with Belle.] Now, dear Belle, you 
shall be happy for the rest of the days of your life. 
You are mine forever, as I have laid down my life 
for you and saved your own. 
B.~- Yes, you have laid down your life for me, and I 
owe you my life. Henceforth shall I make your 
home the happiest place on earth, and life shall 
appear to us as though paradise never was lost. 

T. — That castle right across the branch, have you took 

notice of it ? 
B. — yes. Tt is a stately looking structure. 
T. — That's my home. That's now yours as much as it 

is mine. Now let us go to that home and be happy. 
; Karl, I thank you now for your sister. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 55 

{Karl returns a bow, ivhereupon Titus and Belle 
go arm in arm tothe castle, stop and bozo several 
times to Karl and Mourine, who, arm in arm, 
watch them until they have past over the bridge.) 
Mour. — Such is life. 

Karl- Yes, such is life. But now, after the danger is 
over, I must take a little rest to get over the ex- 
citement. Suppose we take a seat. 
Mour: — Yes, seats are free. {They take sails in the 

sofa. ) 
Karl — Seats are free. And what all is not done to 

make the best of the opportunity — I mean to 

move with the tide. 
Mour. — You understand nature. 

Karl — Have it so if you wish. But one thingis sure — 
Mour.— O, so sure 

Karl — A man that understands nature — 
Mour.— fie understands the women. 
Karl — Precisely. Precisely. And, ha, a man might 

as well try to jump over his own shadow than go 

against a woman's nature. 
Mour. — And that reminds me of poor old Dnke. 
Karl — Poor old Duke; I pity him. He loved in vain. 
Mour.— But he never loved me. 
Karl— Ah! he never loved you; a trifler, a deceiver 

was he and he got punished in the end. 
Mour. — Yes, the Lord is on the side of the women. 
Karl— Every time. And poor old Duke, I wonder as 

tothe $5,000,000 embezzlement, whether not the 

Lord had a hand in that and let things come 

our way. 
Mour. - < >f course the Lord had a hand in that. And 



56 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL, HANNO. 

just think; $5,000,000 was considered a small 
price before the Almighty to sacrifice for our 
happiness. 

Karl— Yes, God is love and He hates the hateful — 

Moue. — Just like the women (.applause). 

Karl — Exactly. Exactly, (laughter) — Great Ceasar! I 
am carried away by the sweet excitement —But 
is it not singular when great things are used to 
serve a seemingly small purpose. 

Mour. — O, yes, so very singular— And who can tell 
but what this very act of the duke may furnish 
a link in our national history — But perhaps I 
spoke a little too fast. [Karl laughs) What do 
you laugh at, Karl? 

Kavl— I am just laughing: The reception, the intro- 
duction and the everconquering smiles abound- 
ing in your loveliness, all this had set me ablaze 
and I had lost my head over you— 

Mour. — You thought it was all meant for you, did 
you? 

Karl — Yes. Yes. Yes, I did — But you should have 
known what effect it had on me when the prem- 
ier stepped in with his private affair. 

Mour. —Well. Well. 

Karl — I simply mention this to show that I loved you 
on first sight. 

Mour — O, that is it — But you kept pretty quiet about 
that. 

Karl — Well I should say I did — Understand I was 
compelled to save my honor. (Mauri ne laughs) 
— What do you laugh at, Mourine? 

Mour. — O, I cannot forget that duke — He had his for- 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 57 

tune told just as sinoothas a crystal and he kept 
quiet about it until the day was fixed for our 
wedding- when proudly he boasted to his friends 
that everything now between him and his Castil- 
ian girl was 0. K. 

Karl — Yes, he got swell headed. But go on! 

Mour. — He boasted that he would marry me, and that 
some day he would become King of Spain, was a 
foregone conclusion. 

Karl — Well I declare! And how did he see it? 

Mour. — That a woman was not fit to rule. 

Karl— Well, what a fool! 

Mour. — Yes, and he believed all this because an old 
reliable fortuneteller, an old woman, had told 
him so — 

Karl — Well did I ever — 

Mour. — Poor old Duke! Won't he now scorn the old 
woman? 

Karl — Won't he though*? And I am sure he paid her 
a good price. 

Mour.— $10,000. 

Karl — Good gracious of life no wonder he couldn't 
pay his debts. But you didn't feel disposed to 
abdicate in favor of the duke, did you? 

Mour. — Never! For in my estimation a man that runs 
to fortunetellers is not fit to rule. {Both get up. 
Mourine preserves dignity, but she unmistakably 
lores him. Titus is seen coming from the castle 
somewhat rapidly.) 

Karl — Mourine Isabelle serene highness: I am im- 
pressed by the high rank of your thoughts as a 
virgin of superior qualification; as a princess of 



58 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 

modest pretention, and as a ruler possessed of 
wisdom and truth. Keep your throne to make 
happy your people, but give me your love in 
which I see the highest attainments of life. 
(Titus has come from the castle.) 

Titus (Excited) — My friends, just a moment: The 
duke has been convicted to fifteen years of impris- 
onment — 

Karl — Well that's nothing to get excited over. 

Titus — My friends, just a moment — But the king has 
pardoned him (Mourn a clasps her h < nuts) — and 
has restored him to his rank '(Karl feels the blow) 
— and he has given him command of the 4th. 
army and, Karl, you will get your hands full. 
(Karl turns /lis face and whistles in the air) 

Mour. (to Titus who is in a hurry to start back) — Mr. 

Titus, just a moment — I wonder whether his fortune- 
teller knows anything about that? (Laughter. 
Titus takes that for a joke, makes a comic bow and 
(jaes bacJctothe castle. A military march is played 
by a hand heading a column of soldiers a distance. 
hack in the valley. They come marching in file, and 
when in the foreground they march a round ■ in a 
circle in front of the cottage. Karl and Mourine 
are spectators, Titus. Belle and the queen, with tiro 
lady attendants come from the castle and join them. 
After tliis has lasted one minute, suddenly the sharp 
sound of a trumpet is heard and the duke of Oli- 
vars steps on the scene. He is cheered by all the 
soldiers and saluted iu military fas/iion. The 
trumpet sounds again; the duke gives com ma ad .a ml 
the soldiers stand in battle array whereupon the 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY—KARL HANNO. 59 

king enters front cottage door No. 1 attended by two 
adjutants and a servant proceeding him carrying a 
state/;/ chair to thestand in front of the sofa. The 
soldiers salute. The others pay him homage where- 
upon he takes his seat.) 

King — Beloved soldiers and citizens: 

In the present war with the Dutch we have 
suffered a serious check as they have swept away 
our ships and vessels from the oceans and we 
cannot keep them out of South America. We 
must now invade Holland itself and bring them 
to terms and duty is compelling your king and 
sovereign to be at the head of the army in Hol- 
land. As a general, the duke of Olivars is my 
right hand and he will go with me. And I here- 
by appoint the queen as regent to direct the 
affairs at home during my absence until we shall 
meet again in peace and tranquillity as is our 
prayer to God. 

{Again the king is enthusiastically cheered as he 
leaves.) 

(Exeunt No. 1: King, his suit and duke of Olivars. 
(Exeunt No. 2: Queen, her suit and Mourine. 
(Karl and Titus disappear to the right. 
(Belle goes to the castle and the soldiers disappear 
in the vally.) 

(Enter No. t: King and duke hurriedly come back 
to the stand.) 

King (intimately) — Now duke you know in politics 
things go as crooked as a streak of lightning. 
Now, if you think you can bring the Dutch down 
on their knees I can do the rest. 



60 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL, HANNO. 

Duke — That's a bargain. I will give the Dutch a good 

threshing and bring them down on their knees. 

But keep your mouth shut about the $5,000,000. 
King — O, that amounts to only a scratch of the pen. 

But when it comes to a crisis, duke, don't leave 

me in the soup. 
Duke—O, for God sake don't talk that way. Louis, 

I am a man. (Exeunt No. 2) 

(Karl and Titus conic back from the rigid.) 
Titus — Ha! Everybody has left. Well Karl, excuse 

me. I must follow my wife to the house, (joking) 
Karl — And excuse me. I must follow my intended 

(joking). 

(Titus goes to the castle. "Exit No. ..': Karl) 

(Enter No. I: Queenmother and Mourine.) 
Queen (Titus has gone but six paces) — Excellency, just 

a moment! 
Titus {comes hack) — Here is my service, Highness. 
Mour. —Thank you — Something has turned up and 

we must see Karl. 
Titus — He has just gone to see you. Door No. 2. 

(Titus goes on again, ) 

(Exeunt No. 2: Queen and Mourine) 

( Enter No. I: Karl.) 

Karl (Titus has gone but six naves)— Eh! Eh! Tite, Eli! 
Titus (stops)— Ha! Ha! They have just left to see you. 

(Karl points to door No. 2) 
Titus — Yes, door No. 2. 

(Titus goes on again. Exit No. 2: Karl.) 

(Enter No. 1: Queen and Mourine.) 
Queen — O, Excellency! Just a moment. 
Titus (walks back) — Highness, he has just gone again 

* In this act, one who goes through a doo shuts it. 



THE DRAMA OP DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 61 

to see you. But excuse me. My wife wants to see 
me up the house. [Mourine points to No. 2.] 

Titus — Yes, door No. 2, but better take No. 1; that's 
where he came through the last time and you 
may be apt to meet him. 

Mour. — Thank you. 

[Titus starts again for the castle] 

[Exeunt No. 1 : Queen and Mourine.] 
[Enter No. 2: Karl] 

Karl— [Titus has gone but six paces] Eh! Eh! Tite, 
what sort of a thing is this? Come here! 

Titus [stops] — Karl, I owe my first duty to my wife 
and she wants to see me up the house. There 
she is coming after me now. | Titus goes on. 
Karl starts after him to get him hack: but note 
comes Belle and quickly tahws Titus away by the 
arm and says to her brother Karl, "The house is 
on lire," and hath go cheeringly to the castle in 
evidence of a feat in fun. Karlputs up with this 
and comes back.) 

Karl (atone)— And now I am going to wait here until 
she comes {He sits down in the sofa] and she 
certainly will come. [Soliloquizing] Ha! What am 
I quarreling over with this world? All I want 
is my own and a little interest besides. That's 
what I started out on {gets up). That's the 
Drama of Destiny and there's no appeal {sits 
(town). Will I hit it? — I will- I will {gets up). 
So long as blood shall warm my veins; 
So long unstained my name remains; 
So long as justice calls the role, 
So long shall truth possess my soul — 
But why doesn't she come? — Ah, I've got it: She 
doesn't know I am here. But I will not make 



62 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL, HANNO. 

the mistake the duke did and hollow for her like 
I would for a servant, although I heard her say 
vanity is set aside when love sways the heart. 
That's all true. But it is for a man to cultivate 
love and understand the women. And that's 
what beat the duke — Poor old Duke is now com- 
manding bleeding soldiers in Holland. Well, 
I have furnished the money, let them furnish 
the blood. — But she isn't coming, and I must not 
call and hollow for her like I would to a servant. 
But she knows my voice and so I will sing a 
song to let her know I am here. 
( Karl sings a stanza of a romantic song at the 
top of his voice and out come Mourine and Queen- 
mother door No. 2, and greet each other with 
great delight, whereupon the queen hands Karl a 
message and all three sit down in the sofa, Karl 
between the two, aial roots:) 

"Cheesebrook, Holland, Aug 10th. 
"Duke of Olivars has brought the Dutch down on 
their knees and the army glories in the duke of 
Olivars. Louis Philip." 

Karl — Highness, that's good for the conntry. 

Mo ur. — Certainly . 

Queen— O, certainly. And in consequence of this 
the king has made him commander-in-chief of all 
the armies. 

Karl— And that's good for the duke. 

Queen — O, yes. But the matter does not stop here. 
The king and the duke are working a high 
handed scheme against you — 

Mour. — And me. 

Karl — But that is surprising. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — : KARL HAN NO. 63 

Queen — It is. And what is still more surprising is 
the fact that the king is bent on an alliance of 
Mourine and the duke — 

Karl (jumps up) — Never! "It shall never happen! (he 
takes his seat) Highness, I was not at all pre- 
pared for a surprise like that. After all: I do not 
think there is a meaning to the king's action. 

Mam-. -No meaning':' 

Queen— No meaning?— Do you thing there is no 
meaning in the king's action? 

Karl — I do in this case. With him it is politics. Any- 
thing is done to make a bluff. 

Mour. — But suppose there is a meaning in my fath- 
er's action, what will we do with this bluff? 

[Karl gets up and without saying a word, runs 
/lis hand into his inside coat pocket and palls out 
a folded sheet of paper and hands it to Mourine 
for both of them to look at, 1 '/ten takes his seat.) 

Mou r.— $5,000,000 government bonds! 

Karl- That's what it is. — And to cut the story short, 
I must not sell these bonds or tell the secret 
connected with it, for if I do it might ruin the 
king. 

Queen — Ruin the king? 

Mour. — Ruin pa? • And why".' 

Karl — Because he gave government bonds for some- 
thing that the government never received. Un- 
derstand the §5,000,000 went to the duke to pay 
his debts. 

Queen — To set straight his intended son-in-law {Mou- 
rine laughs). 

Karl — Exactly. 



64 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HAN NO. 

Queen — Well, I declare. 

Mour. — But how will you get your money back, 
Karl? 

Karl — O, well, in politics things go as crooked as a 
streak of lightning. — Now, when the war is over 
the king will pay me back the money out of the 
war fund as money paid out for secret service 
duty. You know I am state treasurer. 

Mour. — Isn't that smart? (Karl grins.) 

Karl — And now I will answer that question: "What 
will we do with this bluff?" Why, if the king 
attempts to do that he has reasons to fear that I 
sell these bonds and tell that secret and for that 
reason the kink will not push matters to an ex- 
treme, and this is our protection. {All get up. 
Titus and Belle are coming from the castle.) 

Queen and Mour — Grand! Grand! Very grand. 

{Enter No. 1: A message is brought in and 
/unified to Mou rine and la' goes back. Mon fine 
reads a line and hands it to Karl.) 

Karl (reads — "Dear daughter Mourine: 

"There is but one choice left for you to follow 
me on the throne, namely: To disolve your en- 
gagement with Karl Hanno and marry the duke 
of Olivars. Your royal father." 

{Queen, but Mourine especially, are a ice-stricken.) 

Kurt (inspired ) — Behold! The drama of desting is as 
yet in full sway of our lot. O, Mourine, why are 
you shaken? 

{Titus anil Belle hare come from the castle.) 

Titus — Well, well, well, what does all this mean? 

Mour. — I must lose my throne. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 65 

T.and li. (at /he top of their voice) — No — Never! 
All in chorus (except Mour.) — No — Never! 
7 'it 1 1 s (on I ]i) — No — Never ! 

The cortes will answer, and justice will signal: 
All in chorus (except Mour.)— -No — Never! 
Titus — Why, Karl you sway the king with your gov- 
ernment bonds. 
Mour. — Yes, and this is now my only hope. 
All in chorus — Hail! 
Karl— Hail! 
.1// in chorus — Hail! 

Karl — O. I'll fix that up all right (holds the /joints in 

la's hands). Here: I will go to Holland and see 

the king in his headquarters and make urgent 

entreaties and if he will not yield, then will I sell 

these government bonds and bring him to terms. 

(All start to leave the scene. Karl hurriedly is in 

the lead and <ts lie approaches exit No. 2 the door 

sivings open ami lie is con frontal by the kiiuf s 

adjutant with a bundle of money.) 

Adjutant (stern/;/) — Stop! KarlHanno, by order of the 

king: . Duke of Olivars has captured the Dutch 

war treasure of $9,000,000. Give up those bonds. 

Here is your money. Now go and hurt the king. 

(All stand dumbfounded. Mourine throws herself 

on Karl's breast. She cries loud and weeps 

bitterly.) 

[curtain drops. I 

END OF ACT III. 



ACT IV. 

[Scene: It is a large hall in the parliament building, 
looking straight ahead into a winding street of tall 
compact houses, six story high, representing a large 
city. Off to the left in the hall is a magnificent 
throne on a stage four feet high. A space in front 
of the platform is barred off by a roiling and with- 
in is a large desk with two stately chairs and two 
cost/;/ sofas. A rope is hanging down from the 
ceiling over the desk by which the large bell is 
struck, and a small hand bell on the desk. To the 
right of the hall are not less than 25 chairs to seat 
the cortes. They are looking to the throne and to 
the desk in front of it. Overhead of the chairs 
where the cortes sits is a low ceiling 10 feet high, in 
the center of which is a ring of seven feet diameter, 
finished off with terra cotta and in the center of 
this ring is a large hanging lamp. The said ring 
is so prepared that it leaves an opening tit rough 
the ceiling all around though not exposed to the 
eyes of the spectator. A concealed trap door is also 
fixed near the ring.] 

[To the left is enter, or exit, No. 1 , and to the right 
is enter, or exit, No. ..', and straight ahead at the 
end of the hall to the left is an entrance from the 
street. This is enter, or exit, No. ■>. \ 

[Tne premier wears his uniform.] 

[The captain is a small thin insiguificent man in 
uniform whose looks does not betray the ability and 
jduck he exhibits during his performance. \ 

[The members of the cortes ore in citizens attire.) 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HAN NO. 67 

Mourine has changed attire. She is alwdgs the b< t/< of 
beauty, even more lovely and more attractive than 
ever. \ 

Kurt 11. ami Titus have changed attire. Both wear 
tight boot legs half up to their knees, ornamented 
with diamonds, tight trousers, short tight square 
cut coats rich/// ornamented with diamonds and a 
supply of jewelry, white bosoms and collars and 
tin' French military cap. All the others hare not 
changed. | 

Karl a ml Mourine walk arm in arm, somewhat rap- 
idly tie/ore the curtain from the right and meet 
Titus and Belle who walk arm in arm from the 
lift. They did// greet and call each other by their 
names. \ 

Karl— We have just started after you. The cortes 
will set in a few minutes. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! 
The time has come for action. 

(Exeunt: all four to the right.) 
(The premier and the captain fall in excitedly 
from the left before the curtain.) 

Prem. — Now captain look here: We have a job on hand 
that will make us sweat before we get through 
with it. The king has forwarded a declaration 
to set aside the succession of Mourine Isa- 
bella and this declaration has to be signed by 
the cortes before it can go into effect. The cor- 
tes, understand, will refuse to sign it for they 
are all stuck on her because she is a beautiful 
young woman and I expect a hurracane in the 
teapot. Even so: you must brace up against the 
coming storm and show your mettle. Support 



68 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARE HANNO. 

me with all the means at your command. We 
must carry the king's point or lose our job. 
( 'a j>.— Like a hero I will face any kind of a storm as 

long as I have a whole hide left. 
Prem. — All jokes aside. There's no time to waste. 

We are in a push. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! 
Cap. — Dog gone it — I never got paid in a hurry. 
Prem. — Don't worry: If we carry the king's point 

we shall receive an empty title. 
Cop.— That suits me. No tax on that.— Well, I'm 
ready. 

( The large bell is struck. Premier and Captain 
hurry off to the left. The curtain raises miff the 
chairs are occupied by the cartes.) 
{Enter No. J: Premier tout captain, and after 
being duly greeted, they occupy the tivo chair* at 
the desk. Whoever speaks rises and sits down 
again.) 
Prem. (rings the. hand belt) — To the cartes (reads'): 

"'Be it known to the cortes, that hereby is de- 
clared the disinheritance of Mourine Isabella 
in consequence of which the throne of Spain 
will descend to princess Luisa, second niece 
of the king, who is also to form an alliance with 
the duke of Olivars, the greatest military 
genious of to-day. 

Louis Philip." 
This declaration is awaiting the sanction of the 
cortes. 
Att. — Your honor: As the attorney of the High 
Tribunal I demand to know the reasons of the 
king's action if he has any. 



THE DltAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 69 

Prem. — If he has any? Why certainly. More reus 
ons than is good for you. — Here: The intended 
alliance with Karl Hanno; the failure to prevent 
this alliance; the political entanglement which 
would follow such alliance; the welfare of the 
people; the unsoldiery cast of Karl Hanno's 
make-up; the unsoldiery color of himself: his 
dislike for a gun (captain pulls premier by the 
coat tail and says: "Stop. That' 's enough. That's 
enough," but he goes on uninterruptedly); his 
tricks; his smooth tongue and his love topics 
(captain pulls premier by the coat tail to stop and 
he heels)- Gentlemen! a true ideal that suits the 
women — (cartes burst out in laughter; premier 
takes his scut and the captain rises and finishes the 

sentence. ) 

Cap. — But he is no man to be near the throne (shouts) 
That's enough! That's enough! 

Prem. — So, then, that's enough. — Well, gentlemen, 
these are the reasons for the king's actions. On 
the other hand, the duke of Olivars, the great- 
est military genious of to-day, and through whom 
the king is humiliating the Dutch, he is the man 
for the throne. And according to these facts 
Mourine is rejected for the sake of her lover, 
princess Luisa with the duke of Olivars to take 
their places that thereby the interests of the 
country and the safety of the throne may be 
secured. 

(Shouts) -That's enough! That's enough! 

Att. — So is the safety of the throne and the interests 
of the country a justification of the king's action. 



70 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARE HANNO. 

Let us see: 
Karl Hanno has furnished our government 
$50,000,000 out of his own pocket to carry on a 
great war with the Dutch, without which no 
victory would have been possible; and the duke 
of Olivarshas robbed the government of $5,000,- 
000 while he w r as state treasurer during five 
months. — Gentlemen of the cortes, which of 
these two men is to the interests of the country 
and a safety for the throne? 
Cortes (all shout) — Hurrah for Karl Hanno! Away 

with the duke! 
Alt. —So is the king's action without foundation and 

is therefore declared by the cortes: 
Cortes (rise and say in chorus) — Unconstitutional. 
Att. — And the declaration — 
Cortes — Null and void. ) Cortes take their seats). 
Att. (folds a sheet of paper and hands it to the premier) 
— Here premier, forward this decision to the 
king and state that w r e require an immediate 
answer. 
Premier {takes paper) — All right— And that lets us 
out. 

(Captain violently strikes with. his fist on the desk 
(i)ids<njs: ii And I say Xo!"t/ten lie (/ires four rapid 
strokes to the large belt and says: "Now ice icill 
hare some troops up here to force the cortes. 
We'll show you who runs these things," ivhere- 
upon the cortes ho re their seats while tire soldiers 
enter trout the street, cuter Xo. S, and come 
marching abrest with bayonets over their should- 
ers. Karl and Titus, with three other citizens, 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 71 

slip up behind them and jerk the bayonets out of 
their hands; then Karl and Titus say: "Noto get 
out of here. We'll show you who runs these things." 
Upon this the cortes applaud Karl and Titus' feat 
[Captain and premier exeunt No. l], whereupon 
they all cheeringly leave the hall and shout for 
Mourine Isabella.) 

{Exit Mo. 2: Karl) 
{Exeunt No. 3: All the others) 
(Enter No. 2: Karl and Mourine.) 
Karl {to Mourine, who is wiping her fears in sadness) 
—But why should all these dark faces be allowed 
to beveil our happiness when Destiny is resolved 
upon a triumph in the end'? 

Ah, sweetest love, cheer up! After many 
storms comes sunshine, and the star of Destiny 
is still shining and is pointing to the moment in 
which I shall see all of my wishes answered. 
And you shall be happy and be at peace with all 
men as even I shall be and these annoying mo 
mentn will soon pass away and make room for 
the highest attainments of life. 

Man is the maker of his own destiny 
And providence provides for his lot. 
Mour. — O, how the heart is soothed when in the hour 
of trials the soul turns again to thoughts most 
sublime. And he that is at peace with himself 
how well fitted he is to overcome the attacks of 
the foe of life when in the moment of despair 
others are perishing. I was not so before. But 
the great teacher of life, and especially the 
events of the recent past, all this has trained 



72 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 

my heart and my so called highness is humbling 
down (goes clown on her knees) in submission be- 
■ the throne of God. 

Karl (goes down on Ids knees and takes her hand) — 
Cheer up, Mourine! Don't be so sorry. Who 
loves you more than I do? And who has taken 
lessons from the teacher of life in a greater 
measure than 1 have? But it is not he who rec- 
ognizes the teacher of life, but it is he who em- 
braces thoughts most sublime in communication 
with the celestial world. He that draws strength 
from this source of blessing, shall overcome and 
he that overcometh shall glory. 

Hour, (both get up) — Ah! How is my heart uplifted 
by the rank of these thoughts in communi- 
cation with the celestial w r orld. There is my 
greater home. There shall my soul be robed in 
the white garments of bliss and celebrate the 
eternal jubilee. From this source I draw 
strength, and this strength is manifest in the 
darkest hours of mine when the bell of Destiny 
is tolling over the tickles of life with resounding 
echoes. And this means me: Yesterday the 
future queen, to-day the rejected, and what am 
I now? 

Karl -Do not despair, Mourine. They are all earth- 
ly mortals working for the point in the game 
the same as we do. And the opportunity will 
come at the right moment when the scales will 
turn and right and justice will take care of its 
own. For this is The Drama of Destiny by 
which man conquers by faith. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 63 

Mour. — And here I behold the greatness of a soul, 
Karl Hanno. And I see the blessing of all good 
smiling sweetly upon your brow as though the 
moment is coining in which you shall see all of 
your wishes answered. Thrones, kingdoms and 
empires fall short in value when compared with 
these things, the fulfilment of the wishes of the 
soul which then will be resting in heavenly com- 
fort. When shall the moment come? 

Karl -Perhaps soon. And when it does come the 
moment will last forever. For these are tilings 
eternal. — But excuse me a moment. I must go 
and see Titus. We are in the push. (Exit 
No. 2. ) 
(Enter No. J: Minister of ]\'<<r boivs) 

Mour. — Minister of War. 

M. of W. — Highness: I obediently inform you that I 
am charged by the committee of safety to pro- 
tect the cortes at the next sitting when the 
king's answer will be considered should the 
same run in the negative which means that the 
right of succession will be upheld as provided by 
the constitution and it is hoped for you to re- 
spond to the call of the cortes. 

Mour.— Thank you sir.— One question: Is Karl Han- 
no acquainted with this movement':' 

M. of W. —Highness, Karl Hanno is at the head of the 
committee of safety and Titus his secretary. 
Here they are now. 
(Enter No. 2: Karl and Titus.) 

Karl — Yes, yes, yes. We are all here. And the 
king's answer is here, too. 



74 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL, HAN NO. 

Titus — It's going to be a push. They are coming. 

Karl — Well, let them come. (Karl takes Mourine by the 
hand and kindly conducts her to exit No. 1 and 
she leaves as the cartes enter from No. 3 and occupy 
the chairs. Karl, Titus and Attorney are in the 
foremost seat.) 

{Enter No. 3: 5 soldiers with bayonets headed by the 
captain come marching abreast and are stationed 
before the desk outside of the railing: two to the 
right, two to the left and one in the center, then the 
captain takes his seat at the desk.) 

Cap. — This time we* are going to have some order. 

Cortes — Thank you. 

(Enter No. 2: Premier. He is greeted by the cortes 
and takes seat at the desk with the captain.) 

Prem. (rings hand bell) — Gentlemen of the cortes: 
The king's answer is here and it runs in the nag- 
ative. 

Cap. — Ah! The king— 

Titus — No, the cortes. 

Att.— But for the constitution. 

Prem. -Order! — We have no time to waste breath ov- 
er the constitution. 
Cap. (aside) — What did you do? 
Pre ui. (aside)- I turned the damper on him. 

Att. — Your honor: I demand that Mourine be per- 
mitted to speak and give in her complaints. 

Prem. — Overruled by the chair! 

Cap. (aside) — What did you do? 
Prem. (aside) — I bulldosed him. 

Cap. (to prem.)— Why let her speak. We will only catch 
her trump if she has one. 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HAN NO. 75 

Karl — But we demand it. (Prem. pulls on the bell.) 

Cap. —Don't you act so smart, you man up there. This 
time we deal the cards ourselves. Do you see 
them there (pointing to the soldiers)'? 
(Kilter No. 1: Mourine is hailed by the cortes.) 

Mour.— He that remains unstained before God and 
men he it is who is looking up to justice to be 
fair with the innocent. 
Cay. (aside) — That speech is a lie. 
Prem. {aside) — 'Twas a lawyer that wrote it. 

Mour. — What more can I say than what is known to 
all, namely: That the direct cause of my trouble 
arises out of an intended alliance with Karl Han- 
no which, however, finds a rival in the duke of 
Olivars and the cortes will well understand the 
rest in reference to the rejection from the throne. 

( 'mies — It shall never be done! 

{Mourine is hailed and Ira res, exit No. 1.) 

Titus — Your honor; Let us have the king's answer 
so the cortes can treat the case. 

Prem.— The king considers it below his dignity to 
treat with the cortes on a petty question of this 
kind. 

Karl— And wh y ? 

Cap. — And why? Because you are all fools. 

Cartes— Eh! {Laughter. ) 

(Premier whispers into captain's ear.) 

Cap. {laud) — Excellency, I have as yet a whole hide 
left. 

Prem. {to captain) — Why you're a cracker-jack. (To 
cortes) Well, here is the answer. Are you all 
ready for it. Mind you it is a short one. 



76 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 

Cortes (all roar) — Yes! We are ready for anything. 

Cap. — Order! — Now,don't you act so smart up there. 

Prem. — Here, here, now all listen, here is the answer: 
"I will talk constitution to the cortes with 100000 
bayonets. Louis Philip. " 

\A tremendous uproar takes possession of the entire 
hall. Karl and Titus get upon chairs and keep 
crying: 1 'king or the constitution' " The cortesis storm- 
ing on to the premier and the captain— 'The captain 
commands the soldiers to charge but the soldiers 
stand there like lifeless statues and the^ violent men 
seize the captain and the jrremier and drag them out 
of the hall, exit No. 3. Shouts ran ivild for .Mourine 
and is mingled with cries," King or the constitution" 
Karl and Titus raise a fag bearing the inscription: 
"Constitution." They then quiet the uproar and 
call for order. Order is restored and the cortes call 
out loud for Karl Hanno to occupy the chair at the 
desk as director with Titus as his secretary to assist 
him for the purpose to raise Mourine Isabella on the 
throne. The soldiers, who during all this time stood 
there like lifeless statues, are told by Karl to march 
out, exeunt No. 3, whereupon he pulls on the large 
bell.) 

(Enter No. 1: Mourine is universally cheered.) 

Karl (with Titus at the desk) — Order! — We, the director 
and the guardians of the constitution recognize 
the necessity to despose of Louis Philip and raise 
Mourine Isabella on the throne. — 

Cortes — Long live Mourine Isabella! 

Karl— And as he, the king, is openly robbing us of 
the constitution our country is in the extreme 



TIIK DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 77 

danger to be subjugated to a despotic rule- 
rs 'ortes — Yway with him! 

Karl —Wherefore the sovereignty of power is here- 
with forfeited andMourine Isabella, who succeeds 
him, is hereby proclaimed "Queen Isabella II of 
Spain." 

(A tremendous roar of cheers hurst forth for the 
new queen while Titus conies with a crown and 
hands it to Mourine who takes it and places it upon 
herself. Then the' enthusiastic cor 'tes and all pick 
itpatonce Mourine in the center of them and take 
her out to the street, exit No. 3, where the roar of 
cheers (ties away in the distance. Upon this a few 
seconds mark the greatest silence. Then the 
tights changefrom red to blue anil during another 
few seconds keep growing darker and darker until 
a semi-total darkness is reached and a vision ap- 
pears at exit No. 2.) 
Destiny {alone) — Here is destiny — Karl Hanno,guided 
by faith, and Mourine the innocent together have 
reached the stage of life where now they are 
struggling for the union of eternal love and are 
paying tributes to the teacher of life. Their con- 
duct is not stained with blood to gain their pur- 
pose; moreover they embrace thoughts most 
sublime in communicating with the celestial 
world. Therefore shall Providence provide 
for their lot. 
Providence (who joins Des.) — Here is Providence! — 
Karl Hanno's plan is a masterly good one, But 
their salvation depends on having the haversack 
torn off of the kink's back, and because Karl 



78 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY— KARL, HANNO. 

Hannoand his intended work with just means to 
gain their purpose, I have come to provide for 
their lot by means of an accident. 
Accidentsi joins them) — Here is Accidents!— I well rec- 
ognize the fact that the haversack must be torn off 
of the king's back by means of an accident so as 
to bring it under the laws of nature, For the 
days of miracles are past. 

(They disappear and the lights illuminate reel. A 
lad enters No. 3 and runs through the hall carrying 
a message and hurriedly opens exit No.2 and throws 
the door shut behind him so violently that the ceiling 
over the door breaks down. Two men who followed a 
little back of him stop short and witness the accident 
as now Karl, Mourine and queenmother enter No. 1 
and Titus from No 3, all who respond to the crash 
and listen to the two men who explain to them how 
the accident happened. The lad now hurriedly 
comes back with the message and hands the same to 
Mourine andleaves, No. 3. — And while Mourine 
looks at the message and hands the same to Karl to 
read, the two men go to work at once and take a 
heavy, rough piece ot timber with long spikes stick- 
ing out, and put it rigid under the breech to hold 
up the ceiling, placing the post almost right in the 
doorway.' They call it the "spik- post" It strikes 
them who come in what it was put there for. He 
is told what for. It is an awful rough post but it 
answers for the emergency.— Karl reads the message.) 

"Unworthy Daughter Mourine: 
Moved by that rediculous act of yours to occupy 
my throne, of which you and your lover are the 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 79 

sole cause of all the disturbance, I hereby sol- 
emnly set before you that, if you will not immed 
iately undo your treasonable act, you and your 
lover shall be executed as traitors of the country 
in less than three days. 

Your royal father." 
(Hands message to Mourine.) 

(Enter No. 1: Minister of War. — The two men are 
through with their job and leave, exeunt No. 3.) 

Karl and Titus [very serious and excited) — Ah, minist- 
er of war, ah! — 

M. of W. {very serious and excited) — Ah, yes — I feel 
something unusual in my veins — 

Karl— A death warrant — (Five soldiers excitedly fail in 
from No. 2. They have their arms with them.) 

M. of W. (overawed) — A death warrant — 

Soldier (overawed) — A death warrant — 

Hour, (firm and solemn) — Yes, soldiers and friends 
a death warrant — Innocent love is doomed to ex- 
ecution as traitors of the country. But love is 
mightier (Karl and Mour. clasp hands) mightier — 

Karl — Mightier than fear. (M. of W. plays a lively air 
a n<l the soldiers, headed by the M. of W. march a- 
round Karl and Mour. and make a militarg dem- 
onstration. They stop at every round and salute.) 

First round W. of IF.— Majesty queen, I and the army 
will die for you. (They salute and go on again.) 

Second round Soldiers — We talk with bayonets. 

Third round — (All hail and cheer Mourine and Karl and 
is followed by a heavy stroke of the large bell where- 
upon M. of W.and the soldiers hastily leave No. 3.) 
(Exit Mo. 1: Queen/mother) 



80 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARE HANNO. 

{Enter No. 2: Belle runs against the spike-post.) 

Bile (to Mourine) — How are you dear sister? 

Mourine — Dear sister,yonr brother and I are marked 
as traitors of the country and our fate is execution. 

Belle— Execution— Ah! Where are we all drifting to? 
But love is mightier than fear and we will all 
stand by you. 

Titus— That's what we all say. 

Karl — And so we all stand for one. 

(They form a ring by chaining hands together.) 

Karl — This is the holy alliance of four in love. 

Mour. — This love is mightier than fear. 

Belle — This love shall never die. 

Titus— This alliance of love shall not desert one an- 
other through life and death. 
(Enter No. 1: Queenmother.) 

Queen (excited) — My dear child, your royal father is 
approaching the city with a large army. God 
save you. 

Mour. — I will yield. I will give up. Karl, even the 
thought, a throne stained with blood, will certain- 
ly not add anything to our happiness. 

Karl — I am for the right of succession, for the con- 
stitution, and I say —No! 

Titus — And I say— No! 

Queenmother — And I say— No! 

Belle — And I say — No! 

Mour. (firmly) — And I say — No! 

Clown (quicklg walks up from behind the scene) — And I 
say — No! (He creates mirth and leaves, whereupon 
all five put all the chairs to one side to clear the floor.) 

Karl — Mourine, we have a certain task laid out for 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL, HANNO. 81 

you to perform. 

Mo Kr. — Here I am. 

Titus — Mourine, it is the pivot on which the plot of 
this act swings. 

Karl — Exactly. 

Mour. — Well, here I am. 

Karl — Well, listen: You stay here, and right under 
this hanging lamp, and don't leave this place. — 

Titus — No, not under any circumstances. 

Q. M. — What if they surround her and capture her? 

Titus — That's what we want, 

Karl — Exactly. And as we can see through it now 
your royal father will do this work himself. — 

Titus — Of course he will have his body guard with 
him. 

Karl—O, certainly. — And here is the point: — 

Titus — Really the pivot on which the plot swings. 

Mour. — I understand. 

Kdii— Good— Now, then, if your royal father should 
surround you with a force, do everything in your 
power to attract all their eyes down to the floor. 
Now, will you be able to perform this task? 

Mour. — I say, yes — Ah! You men have shown the 
superiority of brave men and now comes my 
turn to show the superiority of a cunning 
woman. ( Great applause. ) 

{The courage of Mour 'me causes great delight where- 
upon Karl and Titus kiss their sweethearts good-bye 
and leave in the best of humor, joke, laugh and throw 
kisses to them ivho in turn iva,ve their handkerchiefs 
at them and do everything to heighten the spirit. 
Then they pass out exit No. 2, and with tire wen or 



82 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KART, HANNO. 

more, Karl and Titus climb upon the ceiling overhead 
the hanging lamp and stay there to await results. 
They manage so ivell that nothing betrays their 
movements. Mourine, in company with her mother 
and Belle, light up the hanging lamp as she thinks 
it is getting dark and as soon as this is done, all at 
once, and in all silence, the king and four soldiers 
from No. 2 slip in on them and surround them. — The 
king is in the lead and in the rush he runs against 
the strike-post and tears off the haversack from his 
back. But he pays little heed to that and goes on. 
The soldiers who follow him avoid the spike-post and 
their haversacks remain fastened to their backs by 
means of a white belt. Each of the four soldiers has 
his bayonet but no sWord, while the king has a 
sword but no bayonet.) 
(The king and the four soldiers surround them.) 

King —Ha, ha, you contemptable little woman. Your 
days are numbered. Where is your lover? 
(Mourine is mute but she goes down on Iter knees as 
though asking for mercy. Queen/mother and Belle 
implore, whereupon the king orders soldier d and f 
to take the two ladies out, ex. No. 2, which they do, 
and come back. Mour. is straight under the hang- 
ing lamp and all live surround Iter in a circle corres- 
ponding with the circle overhead, which is described 
in the scene. Mourine keeps on her knees, the king 
looks down but the soldiers look high.) 

King — Unworthy daughter mourine: You have com- 
mitted high treason against the throne. Your fate 
is execution under the law. But I will pardon 
you if you give up your lover, Karl Hanno, and 



THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL, HAN NO. 83 

marry the duke of Olivars. (King -pulls out his 
watch.) You have ten seconds to choose between 
life and death. 

(The.king looks on his watch; the soldiers look high. 
Mdurirte stays mute but she writes on the floor and 
mot ions for all to read it. Hut the soldiers look high.) 

King— Talk! We haven't got time to read. 
(Mourin'e stays mute, but motions.) 

Soldier d~ Majesty, she has lost her speech. She is 
overawed by the death sentence. 

King^- Overawed — Ah! 

(All now look down on the floor to see what she wrote 
while she still keeps writing. Instant/// 5 hooks on 
wooden Itu ndlcs come down through the ceiling. J± 
pierce into the haversacks on the soldiers and 1 into 
the king's clothes, and all. 5 go upswinging in the air. 
The king draws his sword to cut himself loose from 
the hooks, but in coin. The soldiers instantly drop 
their bayonets, unbuckle their belts cud drop down to 
the floor, leaving the haversacks swinging. But before 
they have time, to. pick up their bayonets to defend 
their king, Karl, Titus and three more men drop 
down on the floor through the trap door just before 
they do, pick up the bayonets and point them at the 
now defenceless soldiers, who surrender and are 
mare/ted out bij the three men. Ex. No, ■> and do not 
comeback. The king laments the loss of his haver- 
sack w/iich surely would hawesaved him. andcurses 
the spike-post. But after being assured b>j Karl and 
Titus that he shall not be hurt, he surrenders and 
is lowered tothe floor. Queen mother and Belle come 
from behind the scow.) 

Karl (respecting his person) — Highness, Louis Philip, 
you are dethroned and Mourine, your daughter, 
holds now the power of Spain. 

King (with self respect)— My daughter, what are you 
going to do with me? 



84 THE DRAMA OF DESTINY — KARL HANNO. 

Mour. {both embrace each other and lueep) — O, pa, you 
have caused me so much pain but it is now all 
forgiven you. 

King — O, my sweetest child, I see you as an angel and 
God shall demand my soul on the spot if I should 
ever again interfere with your happiness. — But 
what are you going to do with me? 

Mour. — Dear pa, I leave that to my lover. 

King — Karl Hanno, most serene man. With all the 
power of Spain in my hands I have not been able 
to stay your hand and what is beautiful in this 
your name has remained unstained. I freely, 
and with all my heart give you my blessing in 
the gift of my dear daughter. — But what are you 
going to do with me? 

Karl — Royal father: Let it now all be forgiven— I 
don't want your throne. I want your daughter. 
I want to love your daughter and be left in hap- 
piness and peace. And since now you have given 
your pledge to stand by this promise, we will 
view the past with a joke and you can go back 
now on your throne. 

(King stands dumbfounded, While Karl and Mourine 
lock arms under an explosion of cheers and joy that 
bursts forth from all on the scene. Ladies and gents 
fall in from the right and left and add to the over- 
happy jubilee. Victory is complete. The orchestra 
plays the air of "Home Hweet Home" and all join in 
dancing ivith such delight as though life has taken a, 
new beginning. Then slowlg and by degrees the 
curtain drops.) 

END OF THE DRAMA OP DESTINY 
KARL HANNO 

Written by A. Paul Gabbert. 



I I9U* 



